Author 



o 

21 
O 










Title 



Imprint 



IG— 47372-3 GPO 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS 



IN 



PHILADELPHIA 




THESIS 



PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY 
OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA 



BY 

CHARLES CALVERT ELLIS 



IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS 
FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 



k«|k^. 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS 



IN 



PHE.ADELPHIA 




THESIS 



PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY 
OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA 



BY- 

CHARLES CALVERT ELLIS 



IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS 
FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 



^^sf^^ 



Gift. 



' <j^ LANCASTBRIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 



PREFACE. 



The ordinary history of education and schools does but 
scant justice to the firm hold which the Lancasterian or moni- 
torial method of instruction had upon the school systems of 
some of our largest American cities during a period of more 
than a quarter of a century. Following closely upon New 
York in this respect, Philadelphia was the second city of the 
country to welcome the new method. In this city the method 
was long intrenched, first through benevolent societies and 
later by legislative enactment; but the records of its operation 
have not before been brought together, while the fragmentary 
references to it here and there have not been by any means 
alwaj^s as accurate as might be desired. 

The fact that the school system of the First District of 
Pennsylvania was not inaugurated by the law of 1834-36 may 
not be so well known elsewhere in the state as in Philadelphia, 
but even here it is doubtful whether the full significance of the 
Lancasterian phase of free school education has been appre- 
ciated, because these schools were not public schools in the 
sense in which we use the term today. 
V While an attempt has been made to consult every avail- 

able source, both original and secondary, which has even re- 
mote bearing upon the subject, the bibliography represents 
only those authorities which have made contribution to this 
treatise. The basis of the discussion will be found under the 
head of Sources in the Bibliography, while under the Refer- 
ences are grouped two classes of works : first, authoritative 
treatises upon themes closely allied to the subject to which it 
seemed desirable to make reference, and second, discussions 
bearing more directly upon the subject, which have proved 
either directly suggestive of Sources, or provocative of research 
through unsupported statement. It is believed that no state- 
ment from the latter class of references is cited with either 



ii LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

approval or disapproval unless the same is justified by the data 
of the original sources. ,y 

The order of treatment is for the most part chronological, 
although this is not adhered to when there seemed sufficient 
reason to depart from it. Not the date of their founding, but 
of their adoption of the Lancasterian System has determined 
the order of treatment of the different Societies discussed. 

In the course of the investigation many transcripts of 
manuscript records, newspaper notices and other data not 
easily accessible were made, and it was at first planned to 
embody these in a series of apj)ended notes. The most impor- 
tant of these transcripts have however been placed in their 
proper setting within the body of the thesis, and the references 
to the others are believed to be so definite as to make their ap- 
pearance in the shape indicated unneccessary, especially since 
it would have involved a possible duplication of the size of the 
volume. 

The bibliography under each heading is arranged alpha- 
betically, but the numbering is consecutive. The numerical 
references are to the number of the authority in the biblio- 
graphy, followed when necessary for ready verification, by the 
page or date of the citation. In the chapter on Public Schools 
the usual bibliographical references are omitted whenever 
their use is rendered superfluous by the mention of the exact 
date of the entry on the Minutes of the Board of Controllers. 

The writer wishes to express obligation to the following 
for the reasons named: Dr. John W. Jordon and Mr. Ernest 
Spofford of the Pennsylvania Historical Society for many 
courtesies in the use of their collections ; Messrs. William Dick, 
Lucien B. Drake and A. F. Hammond for access to the Minutes 
of the Board of Education ; Mrs. Mary Leeds and Miss Lucy 
B. Child for the use of the records of Aimwell School ; Messrs. 
Franklin S. Edmonds. Thomas D. Simpson and J. K. Bockius 
and Congressman Irving P. Wanger for courtesies during the 
prosecution of the work, and all others who have contributed 
in any degree toward its completion. 

Grateful acknowledgment of special obligation is due 
Superintendent Martin G. Brumbaugh for the first suggestion 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 



111 



of the theme, for the loan of valuable material from his pri- 
vate library, and for references to other source material; and 
equally to Dr. A. Duncan Yocum of this University, under 
whose direction the work has been completed, for constant en- 
couragement and many valuable suggestions both as to 
sources and method. 

CHARLES CALVERT ELLIS. 

University of Pennsylvania, 

Philadelphia, Pa., May 8, 1907. 



iv LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Introduction. Pages. 

1. Origin of Lancasterian Schools :-. . . 1 

2. Essential Principle. Origin of the Term 1-2 

3. Bell's Claim 2-3 

4. Proper Name for System in America 3-4 

5. Bell and Lancaster Societies 4 

6. System adopted by Charitable Friend Socie- 

ties 4 

Chapter. I. 

The Philadelphia Association of Friends for 
the Instruction of Poor Children. 

1. First Lancasterian School in Philadelphia.... 5 

2. Origin and Membership of the Association... 5-6 

3. Visit to New York 7 

4. Improvements in System 7-8 

5. Progress of the School. Close 8 

Chapter II. 

Society for the Free Instruction of Female Children. 

1. Brief History 9 

2. Introduction of Lancasterian Method 9-10 

3. Premiums and Monitors Meetings 10-11 

4. School Regulations 1811 11-12 

5. Disuse of the System 12 

Chapter III. 

Philadelphia Society for the Establishment and 
Support of Charity Schools. 

1. Origin 13-14 

2. An exciting Race with the University of Penn- 

sylvania 14 

3. The School — Origin and Progress 14-15 

4. Southwark Schools 15 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA v 

5. Introduction of Lancasterian System 15 

6. Publication of Lancasterian Manual 16 

7. Endorsement of the System 17-18 

8. Relation to Public Shcools 18-19 

9. History from 1818 to Present 19-21 

10. Discontinuance of System 21 

11. A Monitorial School 21-22 

Chapter IV. Individual Private Teachers. 

1. Inaccuracies in the Histories 23-25 

2. James Edward 25-26 

3. Jonathan D. Ayres 26 

4. J. Verdries 26 

5. A. S. Trood . 26 

6. Mary M. Archer 26-27 

7. Edward Baker 27 

8. Address of Benjamin Shaw 27-28 

9. Controversy between Edward and Baker .... 28-29 

10. Baker's Claims 29-30 

11. Edward 's Claims 30-31 

12. Edward's French Advertisement 31 

13. Lancasterian Teachers' Association 31 

14. Edward 's ' ' Legal ' ' Vindication 31-32 

15. William Mann 32 

16. Peter Ulrick 32 

17. Mrs. Baker 33 

18. Controversy over Edward's relation to New 

Law 33-34 

19. Differences between Edward's and Baker's 

Method 34-35 

20. John D. AVeston " 35-36 

21. James Kelly's Colored Evening School 36 

Chapter V. Public Schools. 

1. Report of Public School Committee 37-38 

2. The New Law vs Committee 's Bill 38-41 

3. Inaccuracies in Philadelphia Histories 41 

4. Beginnings under the Law 42 

5. Joseph Lancaster in Philadelphia 43-48 



vi LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

6. Baker made first Teacher of Model School . . . 48-49 

7. Joseph Lancaster and Permanent Model School 50-51 

8. Lancaster's Departure 52-54 

9. Colored Schools 55-56 

10. Model School under John Ely 57 

11. Reputation of Philadelphia Schools 58 

12. Establishment of Similar Schools in the State 58-59 

13. Suggestion of Child Labor Law 59 

14. Schools west of Broad Street 59-60 

15. Defects of System — Permanent Monitors .... 60-64 

16. Rewards and Premiums 64-65 

17. Needle-Work and Straw-Plaiting 65 

18. Infant Schools 65-67 

19. Society for Promotion of Public Schools 67-68 

20. Germantown Schools 68-69 

21. Proposed School at Manayunk 69-70 

22. Number of Teachers qualified in Model School 70-71 

23. Resignation of Mr. Vaux 71-72 

24. Joseph Lancaster again in Philadelphia 72 

25. Association of Monitorial Teachers 72-73 

26. Joint Legislative Committee on Education . . . 73-74 

27. Memorial of Controllers against repeal of Law 

of 1818 74 

28. Repeal of Lancasterian Provision of Law — 75-77 

Cause 75-77 

29. Decline of Lancasterianism 77-80 

Chapter VI. Conclusion. 

1. Effects on Attendance of Law of 1834 81 

2. Value of the System — Dunlap 's opinion 81-82 

3. Wickersham's estimate of the System 83 

BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

Sources 83 

References 87 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IX PHILADELPHIA 1 



INTRODUCTION. 



Laneasterian schools are an importation from England, 
but the principle upon which they are based is directly tracea- 
ble to India (7:23) and was not unknown (85:32) long before 
the eighteenth century both there and in Europe. 

While various appurtenances have from time to time been 
set forth as characteristic of the system, and while different 
features have by different writers been made essential to its 
genuineness, all agree upon one point as the sine qua non of the 
system. '^ Whether it is termed the New System, or the Madras 
System, or the National System, or the British and Foreign 
System or the Laneasterian System, or whether it is more def- 
initely denominated the Monitorial System or the System of 
Self-Tuition or Mutual Instruction (7:9), its one indispensable 
and ever characteristic feature is this : that a single teacher 
conducts a school, usually a large one, through the medium of 
the scholars themselves. (7:22). ^ 

The proper adjective, Laneasterian, used to designate tlie 
system in this country, is a derivative of the surname of Jo- 
seph Lancaster who claimed to be the author of the system. 
According to his own account (15:5) Lancaster was born near 
London in 1778 in circumstances "decent and comfortable, but 
still not so far above the poor as to open the prospects of ambi- 
tion, or fan the spark of human pride into an early or prema- 
ture flame." His friends had intended him for the Calvinistic 
ministry but his early union with the Society of Friends pre- 
vented this. In 1798 he opened a cheap school for the poor of 
the neighborhood in a room of his father's house. The school 
grew rapidly, although the small tuition fees were not i)rompt- 
ly paid, and larger quarters had to be sought. Through per- 
mitting many pupils to continue coming whose parents were 
unable to pay for them, he was not able to employ a needed 
assistant, and so necessity compelled him to make use of the 
pupils as monitors to teach one another; and this was the germ 



2 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

of the widely heralded Monitorial or Lancasterian System. 
Lancaster says that he soon discovered that his monitors had 
to be wisely selected and judiciously trained, and "this led 
him to one invention after another, till he had perfected every 
part and prescribed every mode of action" (15:6). The truth 
is, that from this simple beginning he did develop a rather com- 
plex machine, but the fact remains that this machinery was not 
the distinctive thing that perpetuated his name in connection 
with the system; when much of this had been stripped from 
it, the Lancasterian system still survived, for the term was 
practically synonymous with "monitorial," and so long as mon- 
itors were utilized, it was deemed proper to call a system Lan- 
casterian. And indeed the use of the term "monitor," as Sal- 
mon remarks, is probably original with Lancaster (38:7 note). 
The credit of introducing that for which the term stands how- 
ever, has been very strenuously disputed by Dr. Andrew Bell. 

According to Dr. Bell's own account he was Superintend- 
ent of the Military Male Orphan Asylum at Egmore, near Fort 
St. George, in the East Indies, in 1789. This Asylum was es- 
tablished "for the Education and i\laintenance of the Orphan 
and Indigent Sons of the European Officers and Soldiers of the 
Madras Army." Here, the usher of the lowest class having 
repeatedly failed to perform a task assigned to him, the class 
was given to one of the boys of the school who performed what 
the master had pronounced impossible. The boy was thereupon 
made permanent teacher of the class, and it was better taught 
than any other in the school (7:23). The experiment begun 
from necessity, was gradually introduced into every class from 
choice, until the masters were entirely superseded so far as in- 
struction was concerned; the school "was entirely taught by 
boys. ' ' Bell 's words are : ' ' Such was the complete establish- 
ment of 'a system of tuition altogether new,' 'by which a 
school or family may teach itself, under the superintendence 
of the master or parent. ' Nothing remained to be done — noth- 
ing more has been done — and nothing more can be done as far 
as regards the General Principle which constitutes the Madras 
System of Education. No school can do more than teach it- 
self through the agency of its scholars." 

At the end of seven years when about to return to Europe 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA :J 

Bell was asked "to digest a compendium of the annual Re- 
ports, with a summary of his new method of instruction and 
discipline." This tinal Report, dated Jan. 28, 1796, he pub- 
lished in Londoi) in 1797. This was the year preceding the op- 
ening of the Lancaster School according to Lancaster's own 
account (15:1) and Bell therefore claims not only the priority 
in time, but the originality of the Lancasterian system (7:36). 
He does indeed show that in the first edition of the "Improve- 
ments in Education" published in 1803 Lancaster admits ob- 
ligation to Bell (7:39). 

The Edinburgh Review said in 1808: "In the year 1797 
Dr. Bell, a clergyman of the Church of England, published an 
account of an institution for education at Madras to which Mr. 
Lancaster is certainly indebted for some very material parts 
of his improvements, — as in the early edition of his book, he 
very honestly and plainly owned himself to be. To this val- 
uable information, received from Dr. Bell, Mr. Lancaster has 
made important additions of his own, quite enough to entitle 
him to a very high character for originality and invention. 
We sincerely hope Dr. Bell will not attribute to us the most 
distant intention of depreciating his labours when we say that 
he has by no means taught Mr. Lancaster all, though he has 
taught him much." (11:72). It is worthy of note however 
that Lancaster nowhere admits having received the original 
suggestion of the S3^stem from Bell. The controversy has 
waxed Avarm and the atmosphere has been much clouded both 
by the original claimants and their disciples, but Salmon prob- 
ably epitomizes best the truth of the matter. I cannot prove 
his statement that Lancaster did not see a copy of Bell's work 
until 1800 although it was published in 1797, but with him I 
am convinced that the question of priority is a matter not 
worth a tithe of the discussion it has occasioned, for though 
there be no doubt "that the idea of monitors occurred inde- 
pendently to Bell and to Lancaster, and while it is also beyond 
doubt that it occurred to Bell first, it is equally beyond doubt 
that the idea had occurred to others before Bell was born, and 
his priority is not worth much." (38:32). 

So far however, as the operation of the System on this 
side the water is concerned, there is no doubt of its proper 



4 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

title. Whether he evolved it independently or received it from 
Bell, it is Joseph Lancaster, and his disciples among the 
Friends, who are to be credited with the introduction of the 
Monitorial System into America. Over here, it is the Lancaste- 
rian brand and not the Madras brand of mutual instruction 
with which we have to do. The monitorial schools in America 
are Lancasterian in origin, in the proper sense of that term. 

In order to have a full understanding of the succeeding 
pages it is necessary to note that not only was Bell's plan later 
promulgated by a National Society formed for the education 
of the poor (7:32). but Lancaster's lack of business ability 
made necessary the formation of a similar Society known first 
as the "Royal Lancasterian Institution" (38:42) and later, as 
the "British and Foreign School Society." (38:50). Although 
his own business inefficiency had made necessary its formation, 
Lancaster broke with the Society, giving up the good position 
it had proffered him, and harshly censuring those who had 
most helped him (38:50-57). 

Originally evolved by Joseph Lancaster in England as an 
economical method of educating poor children, it is not strange 
that in America the Lancasterian system should have been util- 
ized almost entirely in the same cause; nor is it strange that 
its most ardent advocates were members of the Society of 
Friends, seeing that Lancaster himself belonged to that fra- 
ternity, and that the well-known benevolence of the Society 
naturally led it to that sort of educational effort of which the 
system seemed to be the natural support and ally.^We shall 
find this system of instruction in operation under the direction 
of three different charitable associations before it became essen- 
tially a legal charity system; and of these three Societies, one 
was limited to members of the Society of Friends, while anoth- 
er, founded by female members of the same Society, was tra- 
ditionally at least, the inspiration of the third, which seems 
to have had no creed limitation. We shall find the system also 
operative, however, after some years, in a number of flourish- 
ing pay schools run by enterprising private teachers, and in 
these schools we shall find it transcending its elementary limi- 
tations and being applied even to the higher branches of in- 
struction. 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PPIILADELPHIA 



CHAPTER I. 

The Philadelphia Association of Friends for the 
Instruction of Poor Children. 

The first school "out of Britain upon J. Lancaster's sys- 
tem" was established in New York City in 1806 according to 
Lancaster himself (15:9). Pie also saj^s that Thomas Scatter- 
good, an apostolic minister of the Society of Friends, soon after 
originated the first school in Philadelphia, "and the same hap- 
py progress has resulted from the same cordial support given 
to early experiment by the Friends there" (15:9). The Phila- 
delphia school referred to had its origin in the solicitude of a 
number of benevolent Friends for the poor children of the city, 
who were growing up in idleness and without education. They 
had had "their attention av/akened b.y a perusal of the account 
of a new system of education, first instituted by Dr. Bell of 
Madras, and afterwards brought more into notice and success- 
fully practiced upon an extensive scale by Joseph Lancaster of 
London" (5:1). The manner in which they had had their at- 
tention called to this new system of education is told by Lan- 
caster in another place. In 1805 he had sent copies of his orig- 
inal publication to two men. one of them Thomas Scattergood, 
who took up the subject with enthusiasm, and was the moving 
spirit in the agitation. Lancaster indeed says that Scattergood 
conducted the school in person for some time (17:14). If this 
be true he was doubtless the "tutor" referred to below who 
with some of the members of the newly-formed society visited 
and inspected the New York Schools. 

At any rate Scattergood and a few whom he had interest- 
ed called a meeting of about twenty of their fellow citizens 
on September 22, 1807, "to consider the propriety of forming 
an association for the purpose of establishing and maintaining 
a school or schools for the children of the indigent, upon the 
Lancastrian, or some nearly similar plan" (24). At this meet- 



LAXCASTEKIAN yCllOOI.S IX PHILADELPHIA 



inp Thomas Scjitterfrood and several other Friends were ap- 
pointed a eoniiuittee to take the subject "more immediately 
under their deliberation." and report October 6, 1807. This 
committee reported favorably and the association was formed 
two days later (24) under the denomination of "The Philadel- 
phia Association of Friends for the instruction of Poor Chil- 
dren" ('•)). On December 12. 1808 it was incorporated — a so- 
ciety for instrnctinp the children of the poor "by instituting 
and snppt)rtinp a school or schools upon a plan nearly similar 
to that so successfully cmphiycd by Joseph Lancaster in Lon- 
don" i'^-A). 

The list of Charter members, headed by Thomas Scatter- 
jjood, is as follows : 



Thomas Scatter^'ood. 
.lolm Morton flun.. 
.lohn Cooke, 
Klihn Pickering. 
F^mnior Kimber 
Isaac W. Morris. 
Eden Haydock. 
John C. Evans. 
John Biddle. 
Israel Maule. 
Daniel Elliott, 
Benjamin Ferris. 
Isaac Davis. 
Joseph Scattergood. 
Kobert Smith. Jun.. 



Israel W. Morris. 
William Penrose, 
Charles Townsend, 
James Pemberton Parke. 
Samuel Haydock. 
Reuben Haines, 
Benjamin Kite, 
Caleb Slireve. 
Clement Biddle, Jun.. 
John Paul, 
Joshua Sharpless. 
Charles Roberts, 
Joseph Parrish. 
Solomon W. Conrad. 
Robert L. Pitfield. 



The association was limited to forty-five members in or- 
der that it miorht not become unwieldy; it was also limited to 
members of the Society of Friends, "not throufrh want of lib- 
erality toward any class of their fellow citizens" but "the 
scheme of the association orisrinated among themselves, and 
they conceived it w^ould be conducted most to their satisfaction 
by keeping it under their exclusive direction. At the same 
time they would rejoice to see any more engaged in similar ex- 
ertions, and it is with real satisfaction they learn that the re- 
spectable institution in Walnut Street has in part adopted the 
new system" (5:note). 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 7 

The new school was opened January 11, 1808 at the corner 
of Moravian and Watkins Alleys (5:10). The Association re- 
ceived much useful information and help in conducting the 
school from a visit which some of the members, together with 
the tutor, paid to "a school of the same kind previously estab- 
lished in New York." They also studied carefully the publica- 
tions by Lancaster (5:10). De Witt Clinton refers to this visit 
in an address before the Free School Society of New York in 
1809. He says: "In Philadelphia the same laudable spirit has 
been manifested. Two delegates from that city have visited 
us for the express purpose of examining our school. One of 
them made so favorable a report on their return that a number 
of the more enterprising and benevolent citizens composed of 
members belonging to the Society of Friends immediately as- 
sociated under the name of the Adelphi Society and raised by 
subscription a sum sufficient to purchase a suitable lot of 
ground and to erect a handsome two-story brick building sev- 
enty-five feet in length and thirty-five in breadth in which they 
formed two spacious rooms" (8:324). The appendix to the 
"Sketch of the Origin and Progress of the Adelphi School" 
published in 1810 contains "A Sketch of the Improved Meth- 
ods of' Education employed by Dr. Bell in the Asylum at Mad- 
ras ; by J. Lancaster in London ; and lately introduced into 
several schools for poor children in New York and Philadel- 
phia." This sketch, which is really a very brief abstract of 
the method as set forth in the works of Lancaster himself, has 
no name attached to it, but is said to have been compiled by 
one of the members of the association (5:10). It is also said 
that later experience has induced a considerable variation in 
several particulars, both from that and from Lancaster's sys- 
tem, "in which respects it is apprehended improvements have 
been made" (5:10). It is noted that one of the most important 
of these improvements is in the substitution of slates for sand. 
The use of sand however, was an importation from Dr. Bell's 
system, for Lancaster is represented as writing to him on No- 
vember 21. 1804 asking further information on the use of 
sand (38:23) ; and slates were not an innovation in the Lancas- 
terian system for in the fourth edition of the "Improvements 
jn Education," Lancaster says: "Each boy in every cipher- 



8 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

ing class has a slate and pencil" (16:69). Again in his "Brit- 
ish System of Education," published in 1810 he says: ''Of all 
the ideas there is only one borrowed from the Madras or Hin- 
doo mode of education : that is. printing in sand, and even that 
is materially improved. It only applies to the A, B. C, class 
(17:X1]). Yet it is significant that within two years the man- 
agers of the Adelphi School were soliciting subscriptions not 
only for the purpose of furnishing another room for the ac- 
commodation of an additional school but because they "are 
desirous of making some improvements in the conduct of the 
system, which they conceive will remove objectionable parts 
of the Lancasterian plan, and with greater economy equally 
facilitate the progress of the scholars" (2). This appeal dated 
first month 1810 is signed by Robert Vaux, Secretary, who ac- 
cording to Lancaster (15:9) was enlisted in the work by Thom- 
as Scattergood, and afterAvard became a most important factor 
in the establishment and perpetuation of the system by Act 
of the Legislature. 

When the school first opened the scholars were few in 
number, but at the end of three months there were ninety en- 
rolled. Within a year a new brick building had been erected on 
two lots in Peg St. donated by Thomas Scattergood and Wil- 
liam Sansom (5:12). Clinton stated that at the time of his 
address the Adelphi School contained two hundred children 
under the care of one teacher, and was eminently prosperous 
(8:324). The Adelphi Schools continued in operation until 
the law of 1818 went into operation which provided adequately 
for the instruction of the poor. Then it was judged best by 
the association that its schools should be suspended, and "on 
the 29th of the 5th month the managers parted with regret 
Prom the youthful subjects of their care" (24). In 1822 it 
vras decided to use the funds for the maintenance of a color- 
ed school which was opened October 7, 1822 (24), but I have 
not been able to learn whether or not this school employed the 
Lancasterian method of instruction. In view however of the 
traditions of the association and especially since the system 
was at that time intrenched in the public schools established 
in 1818. T should think it extremely probable that the Lancaste- 
rian system was employed. 



LANCASTERIAX SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 



CHAPTER II. 



Society for the Free Instruction of Female Children. 

There exists today in the city of Philadelphia a school re- 
markable in many respects, which began its existence in the 
eighteenth century. It is and has been from the beginning, a 
girls' school. Sewing has been maintained in its curriculum 
from the beginning. Founded by female members of the So- 
ciety of Friends, the Constitution under which it operates pro- 
vides that it shall furnish gratuitous instruction for poor fe- 
male children, not members of the Society of Friends (31:11). 
Briefly its history is this : In 1796, in fulfillment of a vow, out 
of gratitude for the restoration of her parents when danger- 
ously ill, Anne Parrish gathered a few neglected children 
around her for instruction. Other Friends came to her aid and 
soon a society was formed and in 1799 a permanent instructor 
was engaged and later a second one. In 1807 the school was 
first called "Aim well School." In 1859 the society was in- 
corporated under the name of "The Aimwell School Associa- 
tion." The present location of the school, which is in a flour- 
ishing condition, is at Sixth and Noble streets. 

In the address alreadj^ mentioned which De Witt Clinton 
delivered before the Free School Society of New York, Decem- 
ber 11, 1809, he said: "Two female schools, one called the 'Aim- 
well School' in Philadelphia, and another in Burlington, Nevv- 
Jersey, have also embraced our plan with much success" 
(8:.324). According to the minutes of the Society this is true, 
as regards Aimwell, although it does not appear that this So- 
ciety' is so directly indebted to the New York Society as was 
the Adelphi. Under date 5 month 7th, 1808 appears this rec- 
ord: "The new method of education published by Joseph Lan- 
caster, which has been successfully practiced in his and several 
other seminaries.has claimed the attention of the Society. And 
it being believed that a similiar plan might be introduced with 



10 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

advantage into our own School, it is agreed to appoint Catha- 
rine Morris, Hannah Lewis, Hannah Elliott, Sarah Parrish, and 
Deborah Howell to take the subject into their particular con- 
sideration, and to lay their result before us at a future meet- 
ing." This committee made a favorable report, but action 
was deferred until the sixth of the eighth month when the plan 
was formally adopted, "but it is agi'eed to defer transcribing 
it on our minutes until trial is made" (23:8-6-1808). On the 
third of ninth month the Committee reported the autumn open- 
ing of the school and«,that "the plan concluded upon at our 
last meeting has been adopted and thus far attended to with 
satisfaction; the number of scholars who attended was from 
33 to 47, and we have reason to hope that under the careful at- 
tention of the Society our new method of instruction will prove 
of great advantage" (23). The next month it was determined 
to add 10 to the former number of scholars which was 60, "as 
it is apprehended a larger number of scholars can be accom- 
modated than heretofore." (23:10-8-1808). It is worthy of 
note that as early as January 1807 the Society had made trial 
of pupil assistants, but deferred any permanent arrangement 
"until the utility of it is more fully ascertained" (23). 

Another practice of the Society closely allied to the usual 
Lancasterian mode, was the distribution of premium cards 
at the quarterly examinations (23:10-10-1807). The necessity 
for a name for the school to be placed upon some of these cards 
about to be engraved, led to the adoption of the name "Aim- 
well School" in December 1807. Thus in two respects they 
were quite ready for the adoption of the Lancasterian System 
in 1808. A few months after its adoption occurs an interest- 
ing minute under date of first month, seventh, 1809: "The So- 
ciety having taken into consideration the arduous task of the 
monitors of the school, and believing it would be an encour- 
agement in the performance of their duty, if some little indul- 
gence was granted them, the following method was proposed, 
which having now had sufficient trial, it is concluded at pres- 
ent to adopt it, viz. That meetings be appointed once every 
month, to be denominated Monitors Meetings, and the members 
being divided into three separate classes, to attend in their 
respective turns, and treat them with nuts, fruit in season, or 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA II 

any little variety those on appointment may think proper; to 
select familiar pieces of prose or poetry to read to them, and 
occasionally give suitable advice respecting their conduct in 
school ; which it is believed may prove more effectual, in such a 
private capacity than when in school with other children." 

In March 1810 these meetings were discontinued "not ap- 
pearing productive of the benefit expected and the Society be- 
lieving that their use has been in part superceded by the in- 
troduction of the library." 

The regulations of the new plan of instruction which were 
not to be transcribed on the minutes until a trial was made, do 
not appear until under date of 7 of 12 month 1811. They are 
of interest as showing something of the actual working of a 
school under the Lancasterian plan : — 

Regulations Adopted by the Society for the Free Instruction 
of Female Children. 7 of 12 mo. 1811(27) 

"The school to be held twice every day except on the after- 
noon of the 7th, to consist in the morning of the Ist, 5th, 6th 
and 8th classes and in the afternoon of the 2nd. 3rd. and 7th 
classes; they are to be arranged by the Teacher according to 
their proficiency, and a Monitor placed over each class to serve 
them with books and assist the teacher when she may have oc- 
casion for their services. 

"The 1st class is to be those who are learning their letters, 
they are to have a copy placed before them as A or a and their 
sand being smoothed by the monitor, they are to copy the let- 
ter; when that is handsomely made another is to be placed be- 
fore them, and so on until the whole alphabet is learned; both 
capital and small letters, are now to be printed from memory 
which after they can readily do they are to pass into the 2nd 
class. This class is to be further exercised in learning the al- 
phabet by calling them up and pointing to the letters which 
are suspended before them, those who can inform what are 
the letters pointed to are to take the place of those who cannot 
and to retain the place in the class which they have thus ac- 
quired. 

"The second class is to be taught to spell by printing in the 
sand. The Monitor is to spell the word as ab etc., when all 
have finished it is to be inspected by the Monitor, who is to 



12 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

point out the faults, then to smooth the sand, and then to give 
out another, and so on until they can spell and read any word 
of one syllable. When they have printed a suitable number of 
words they are to rise in a class and the Monitor is to give out 
the same words; they are then to spell them, taking place of 
each other as in 1st class. When they have gone through the 
words of one syllable, they are to make figures, when they can 
do tolerably well and are also taught the numerical letters, 
they are to pass to the 3rd class. 

"That the sand classes may not become tired Avith the 
sameness of their business, and also with a view of exercising 
their memory, short sentences or a few lines in verse may be 
given out to them by the teacher, a line at a time, to be re- 
peated either separately or in concert. 

"On entering the 3rd class the scholars are to write, which 
is to be taught them in the manner pursued by John Carver. 

"Before they can write their spelling they are to be fur- 
nished with books, as soon as they are capable of writing it. the 
Monitor is to give out the word, and each girl is to write it 
on her slate, and see that the spelling is correct, then give out 
another as before, they are afterward to rise in a class, the 
Teacher to give out the words to them which they have just 
written, they taking precedency of each other. When they 
have learned their Tables they are to be taught Arithmetic. 

"^ach scholar is to read once a day, care must be taken 
that their manner of standing be easy and becoming, and that 
their books be held properly." 

It is probable that the plan gradually fell into disuse in a 
school which never seems to have numbered above seventy and 
employed at times two teachers for even a smaller number 
(31:6). Nevertheless an examination of the minutes for more 
than fifty years succeeding the adoption of the plan, fails to 
reveal any definite statement of its discontinuance, even at the 
time of incorporation in 1859. 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 13 



CHAPTER III, 

Philadelphia Society for the Establishment and Support of 
Charity Schools. 

In the winter of 1799 (20: Preface) about nine young men 
who were in the habit of meeting together in the evening for 
social conversation conceived the idea of teaching gratuitously 
the children of the poor. There is a traditional connection be- 
tween this society and the female society later called Aimwell. 
It is related that one of the young men, William Nekeris, hav- 
ing come late one evening was called to account for his tardy 
appearance and explained that he had staid to witness a most 
praiseworthy effort by some benevolent young women to teach 
gratuitously poor girls who had no other means of acquiring 
education. He said that their undertaking had greatly inter- 
ested him and he could not help thinking that it would be more 
creditable to himself and friends to employ their leisure in the 
same way in teaching poor boys, than to spend it in the indul- 
gence of merely social intercourse. This suggestion appears to 
have been the first seed of the society (9:21). So associating 
themselves under the title of "The Philadelphia Society for the 
Free Instruction of Indigent Boys," they opened a night school, 
in which they alternately officiated in weekly classes. The 
next year the society was enlarged and the calls for an ex- 
tension of the work became so urgent that in June 1801 it was 
unanimously decided to open a day school, although it would 
require the payment of one dollar a month by each member, 
most of whom were apprentices, clerks and young men just 
commencing business. About this time the constitution of the 
Society was framed and it was named "The Philadelphia So- 
ciety for the Establishment and Support of Charity Schools." 
An event that favored the purposes of the Society and led to 
its incorporation was the leaving of a residuary legacy by 
Christopher Ludwick to the association first incorporated for 



14 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS Ii\ PHILADELPHIA 

the purpose of teaching gratis the poor in the city of Philadel- 
phia, the districts of Southwark and the Northern Liberties, 
without respect to the country or religion of their parents or 
friends. This legacy was estimated at eight thousand dollars, 
and its magnitude caused the Trustees of the University of 
Pennsylvania to desire to become the managers of this fund, 
and they became rivals of the society in the endeavor to be 
first to obtain a charter. 

After obtaining the required signatures it was necessary 
that the instrument be transmitted to Lancaster, Pa., and re- 
corded in the Rolls Office. That he might be entirely impartial 
Governor McKean delivered the two deeds to the agents of the 
rival candidates at precisely the same time. Then began an 
exciting race to Lancaster. The University express started 
first on horseback, but was completely distanced before accom- 
plishing his first stage, by Joseph Bennett Eves who travelled 
in a sulky. But Eves was unconscious of his early triumph 
and kept on his way, performing the journey, a distance of six- 
ty-six miles, in the short space of seven hours (20: VI). 

Though the Society thus obtained a right to the legacy 
it was not received until nearly five years afterward. Mean- 
time they had rented a room in the rear of the Second Presby- 
terian Church, then at the northwest corner of Third and Arch 
streets (9:22). In 1803 it was determined to erect a building 
and a numerous committee was appointed to collect subscrip- 
tions. Dr. Benjamin Rush, then a member of the Society wrote 
an Address to the Citizens. Two thousand eight hundred dol- 
lars were immediately subscribed, a lot purchased, and a two- 
storied brick building erected in Walnut Street above Sixth 
(20:VII). This building was completely finished and fitted up 
by the close of 1804. The number of scholars at this time was 
sixty. They were under the care of Thomas Walter, who was 
appointed teacher in 1802, and was still in the employ of the 
Society as superintendent of the Boys' Department in 1829 
(3:4).* 

The number of scholars gradually increased until in 1809 
there were two hundred and seventy-eight under the care of 
the principal and an assistant whom it had been necessary to 
employ. A school for Girls was established in 1811, and a li- 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 15 

brary of four hundred volumes was procured in 1814. Cloth- 
ing was provided for children needing it and parents were as- 
sisted in procuring places for those completing their education 
(20: VII). 

About the close of the year 1816 a donation of four thous- 
and dollars from the executors of the estate of Robert Mont- 
gomery was made with the restriction that three thousand be 
applied to the education of poor children in the district of 
Southwark. This had been a favorite object with the Society 
for some time, and accordingly two schools were opened on the 
Lancasterian system, though the funds of the Society were 
not adequate to their full support(20:8). The Society submitted 
a proposition to the County Commissioners to receive into 
these schools a limited number of pupils at the rate of six dol- 
lars per annum, including books, stationery, etc. Since this 
was but little more than half the sum paid by the public in 
other schools, the offer was immediately accepted (20;IX). 
"Within a year these Southwark schools had three hundred pu- 
pils, but the next year, 1818, the law for the education of poor 
children in the city and county of Philadelphia went into effect 
and it was deemed expedient to close the schools in Southwark 
(9). 

The report of 1817 claims that about three thousand chil- 
dren had been admitted to all the schools since their founding. 
It also sets forth that the Society is possessed of the school- 
house and lot in Walnut Street, a lot of ground in Kensington, 
the gift of John Dickinson, Esq., of Wilmington, Delaware, and 
Capital Stock to the amount of eighteen thousand dollars 
(20:IX). 

Concerning the introduction of the Lancasterian system 
the report says that in 1813 it was introduced into the Girls' 
School by a lady who had acquired a knowledge of it in Mr. 
Ould's school at Georgetown (20 :X). There seems to be some 
reason, however, for believing that its introduction was even 
earlier, for in the sketch of the Adelphi Society, already re- 
ferred to, which was published in 1810, that Society is reported 
as learning "with real satisfaction that the respectable Insti- 
tuition in Walnut Street has in part adopted the new system;" 
and in his address before the Free School Society of New York 



16 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

in December 1809, De Witt Clinton after his reference to the 
Adelphi Society, speaks of the Philadelphia Free School 
Society an old and respectable institution, which has adopted 
the Lancasterian system also in consequence of a visit made to 
New York by a deputation from Philadelphia" (8:324). The 
only Free School Society existing in Philadelphia at this 
time seems to have been the Society for the Support of Charity 
Schools. Be that as it may, there is no uncertainty in this re- 
spectable Institution's praise of the system. This is very ap- 
parent in the following advertisement which appeared (6) Au- 
gust 21, 1817:— 

IN THE PRESS 

And will be published in a few days. 

By Benjamin Warner, No. 147 Higfh Street 

( For the Philadelphia Society 

For the Establishment and Support 

Of Charity Schools) 

A MANUAL 

of the 

System of Teaching 

Reodingf, Writing:, Arithmetic, and Needle- Work 

In the Elementary Schools of the British 

and Foreigfn School Society 

Also 

LESSONS 
Adapted to the Lancasterian System of Education. 

When the rapid increase of our population is compared 
with the means of procuring Education, it is much to be feared, 
that at no distant period, a large proportion of the people, in 
many sections of the United States, will be destitute of this 
important blessing, unless private benevolence or public provi- 
sion should apply the remedy. The Lancasterian System as 
detailed in the above Manual, presents the best mode yet dis- 
covered of spreading the benefits of Education, either in the 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 17 

hands of individual Tutors or School Societies : under these 
impressions, the Philadelphia Society believe they cannot bet- 
ter fulfill the purpose of their Association, than by extending 
the knowledge of the System, and offering the means which 
the Lessons afford of carrying it into complete operation. 

The views of the Society, however, in their publication, 
are not confined to Charity Schools: every citizen is interested; 
because the effects of the general introduction of this System 
will be the same as the creation or gift of a vast capital to be 
expended in Education : Its economy brings it within reach 
of the poor man's means; and to parents in moderate circum- 
stances it will prove a saving of money, as well as a saving of 
time to their children. Nor are the most wealthy above the 
benefits which v.ill flow from the general introduction of this 
System; its morality and the peculiar and happy fitness of all 
its details, to the capacities and feelings of children, no less 
than its economy, entitle it to the approbation and support 
of every one who is interested in the welfare of the rising gen- 
eration. 
August 21. 



On October 15th the announcement was made that the booJ^' 
was ready. In a prefatory address ''To the Public" recount- 
ing most of the facts of the Society's history already given, 
there occur also some ver}' strong words of endorsement foi 
the Lancasterian System. It is stated that so manifest have 
been the advantages of "that excellent system, that the Soci- 
ety feel bound from considerations of public good, to bear the 
most decided testimony in its favor." It is for this reason 
that they are impelled to put out this First American Edition 
of the Manual of the British and Foreign School Society, "to 
familiarize the reader with the elementary principles of a Sys- 
tem, which, by force of its own merits is extending itself all 
over Europe" (20 :X). It is stated "with the proper use of 
the Lancasterian System, one half of the money expended in 
the education of children would not only more effectually an- 
swer the end intended by their parents and guardians, but 
would be much more beneficial to the commiinitv at large. Our 



18 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

government being free in its principles, opposed in its genius 
to all distinctions in society but those of virtue and talents, 
and particularly dependent on the good disposition of the nia- 
jorit}^, who under all governments, not popular, are considered 
in the light of serfs or menials, has a great interest in the pro- 
motion of the Lancasterian System of Education. It is so ca- 
pacious as to embrace the greatest number. A thousand may 
be educated in one school. All the children of a village or 
neighborhood may meet together on the same footing, be dis- 
ciplined by the same ruler, inspired by the emulation, influenc- 
ed by the same motives, taught by the same lessons, impressed 
with the same moral sentiments, and be fitted for life on an 
equality that no other system can afford" (20:XI). After 
this, one is hardly prepared for the statement, "These are not 
the suggestions of enthusiasm," even though fortified by the 
additional statement that the system has been established long 
enough in England to develop all the advantages ascribed to 
it. Certainly one cannot deny to enthusiasm responsibility for 
the closing words of this preface relative to the System — "The 
Lancasterian System seems to be a branch of that wonderful 
providence which is destined to usher in the millennial day. 
It is calculated to teach nations in the shortest period, and 
prepare them for the reception of truth, the word of truth." 
This Address to the Public, prefatory to the Lancasterian 
Manual contains more however, than a resume of the past and 
a laudation of Lancaster's system. It forecasts in a measure 
the school future. After showing that people will not heartily 
patronize schools which place upon them and their children 
the stigma of pauperism, especially in the country districts, it 
is said: "These dispositions of the people may be improved 
to the best advantage, by the Legislature, in place of Charity 
Schools, establishing Public Schools for the education of all 
children, the offspring of the rich and poor. These schools 
ought to be at the public cost, to be defrayed by a specific tax, 
which in the end, would in no respect increase the public bur- 
thens ; for that money usually spent in partial education, would 
support a Lancasterian school sufficient to teach all the children 
of a parish or neighborhood. Great advantage would naturally 
flow from such a scheme. It is to be feared that many of the 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 19 

teachers in our cities and country are not qualified to teach. 
The}^ do real injury; but unfortunately the least qualified are 
generally the most successful, not in teaching, for they are un- 
qualified, but in obtaining a livelihood. They resort to the 
policy of working low, or accommodating themselves to the 
necessity or penury of their employers. The Lancasterian sys- 
tem would remedy this evil, because it enables a teacher to 
instruct a thousand at a much cheaper rate. On the old plan 
thirty pretenders would be supported in the abuse of the mor- 
als or intellect of the same number." (20:XT). That the So- 
ciety took more than a passive interest in the passage of such 
a law as suggested above, is shown in the historical sketch of 
the Society published in 1860. In that sketch occurs this state- 
ment: "At the beginning of the present century this school 
was the only one in which instruction was freely imparted re- 
gardless of the birthplace or religion of its pupils — and it is 
worthy of note that among its most zealous supporters were the 
originators and active promoters of the present public schools. 
The Society may feel a glow of exultation at the fact that it 
was within the walls of its school-room, and by its members 
in connection with other philanthropists that the law passed 
in 1818, establishing the Common School System in Philadel- 
phia was devised and drafted" (9:26). 

Notwithstanding the fact that the members of the Society 
were thus active in framing the new law, and the further fact 
that after its passage contributions to their funds dropped off. 
because with the multiplication of public schools, it was argu- 
ed that there was no need for further support of the Institu- 
tion, yet this Society did not close its school as did the Adel- 
phi Society. It was felt that the Society was "none the le^s 
bound to hold steadily on its way, dispensing such good as it 
may by the judicious administration of the funds entrusted to 
it for the purpose of gratuitious education." This it continued 
to do for nearly a century. Edmonds (36:12) says that in 
1894 the Society transferred its property to the Board of Pub- 
lic Education and disbanded, but the Society is still in exis- 
tence under the name of "The Ludwiek Institute," which name 
it took on March 4, 1872, and uses its income to provide a se- 
ries of annual ' ' Ludwiek Lectures ' ' at the Academy of Natural 



20 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

Sciences. For this information I am indebted to Thomas D. 
Simpson. Secretary of the Institute. The statement of -Air. Ed- 
monds is doubtless based upon a circumstance connected with 
the Beck School. This school building and lot were deeded 
to the Society by Paul Beck, Jr. about 1835 (3:1-6-1835). For 
want of funds the Society did not use the building immediate- 
ly, but with the consent of Mr. Beck rented it to the Control- 
lers of the Public Schools (3:1836-1842). In 1859 the Society 
took the building for their own use having moved their school 
from Walnut street, (3:1859) ; but on May first, 1895, having 
for financial reasons discontinued their school, they rented it 
again to the Board of Public Education w^hich still continues 
to use it (22-1895). 

While the new law of 1818 did not cause the Society to 
abandon its school, it nevertheless caused it to change the 
character of its work and this led directly to the discontinuance 
of the Lancasterian system of instruction. Conceding that the 
public schools were well caring for the elementary education 
of the poor, it became a question wiiether the funds entrusted 
to the management of the Society could not be more usefully 
applied by imparting instruction in the higher branches of 
learning "to such of the class for which they were designed, as 
might possess talents and a disposition to pursue those stu- 
dies." The committee appointed reported favorably to the ad- 
option of a new and more elaborate course of instruction, and 
also recommended that the monitorial system be discontinued 
"as unsuited to that recommended by them." This report an as 
adopted in the latter part of the year 1836 (3:1837). and in 
the next report under date of December 29, 1837, it is stated 
that the advantages anticipated by the change have been fully 
realized. In the same report there is embodied a report from 
the teacher of the Boys* School and one from the teacher of tlic 
Girls' School. The first remarks an increasing disposition on 
the part of the parents to continue their children at school 
which he attributes to the greater advantages offered by the 
present system over the monitorial, inasmuch, as the course is 
no longer limited to three R's but most of the useful branches 
of an English education are already introduced. Besides, every 
scholar now comes immediatelv under the influence of his teach- 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 21 

ers in all his studies and receives their personal attention in ev- 
ery department, thus securing accurate instruction which was 
not possible under the former system. The teacher of the 
Girls' school makes a similar report, saying that the alteration in 
the system of instruction proves in the highest degree beneficial 
to the scholars, producing a more regular attendance and more 
satisfactory improvement than formerly. Thus the Society 
says farewell to its much lauded millennium-producing system 
of education (3:1838). 

It is to be noted that two years previous to the formal 
renunciation of the system a move had been made in that di- 
rection in the Boys' School when an assistant teacher was em- 
ployed to take charge of the boys in the primary classes while 
the time of the principal teacher was given to the more ad- 
vanced pupils. Though the primary school was still conducted 
on the monitorial plan, the first step had been taken toward 
giving up this once highly praised educational panacea 
(3:1834). 

We have left to us however a picture of the school before 
these changes came to it. In the Annual Report dated 1829 
is a description of the work of the Boys' School under Thom- 
as Walter, which gives us a glimpse into the heart and method 
of the school while still conducted on the monitorial plan. The 
first exercise of the day was writing from dictation. "After a 
short time thus occupied the scholars leave their seats and ar- 
range themselves around the room, in classes, of not more than 
nine each, standing in semicircles for the purpose of reading. 
The lessons used by all except the eight higher classes are 
printed in large type, and pasted upon boards, which are hung 
on the wall : the upper-classes read in books. The boys are class- 
ed according to their proficiency :the whole school being divided 
into twenty-three reading classes; and twice in a month at rep;- 
ular periods such changes are made as the progress of the pu- 
pils requires. So that every class consists of children equal 
in attainment or very nearly equal; a boy of quick parts is not 
retarded by others of less mental activity, nor is a boy of slow 
mind hurried on too rapidly. Each of these small divisions is 
committed to the care of a monitor, selected by the master, un- 
der whose superintendence the operations of all are conducted. 



22 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

When the reading has been conducted for a suitable time, the 
scholars return to their seats and the greater part commence 
ciphering. The younger boys who have not begun to learn 
arithmetic write upon slates in large hand from copies. There 
are twelve ciphering classes, each having a monitor. The head 
of the class dictates the question to be solved and each boy, 
when he thinks he has found the answer shows his calculation 
to the monitor. Twenty of the boys who are further advanced 
than the rest, cipher separately; some of these learn algebra 
and the elements of geometry. While most of the scholars are 
engaged in arithmetic, or in writing on slates, a part, consist- 
ing of about twenty-four write in copy books. These cipher 
nt another time; the school being divided into writing clashes. 
which follow one another in succession, beginning with the 
best writers. Thus each boy who writes on paper finishes two 
or three copies in a week, and the improvement appears to 
be as great as it is in schools where every boy writes a copy 
daily. 

From an hour and a half to two hours having been occu- 
pied in this manner, the reading is resumed and continues un- 
til the dismission of the school. Forty of the boys have ad- 
vanced bej'ond the Rule of Three, and about one-half of these 
are much further forward. Upwards of seventy have gone 
through the four fundamental rules. Once every week the ci- 
phering classes are arranged around the room, and the im- 
provement of the scholars is noted." (3:1829:4). 

According to the report this school contained 255 boys, 
and it manifests the dominant features of the system — monito- 
rial instruction and almost exclusive emphasis upon the three 
R's. 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 23 



CHAPTER IV. 



Individual Private Teachers. 

Wickersham in his History of Education in Pennsylvania 
says that James Edwards opened a school in 1817 in Phila- 
delphia and claimed to be the only teacher in tiie city who had 
received a certificate of competency from Lancaster (42:824). 
There are several inaccuracies in the statement, but it hints 
at an interesting phase of school development just prior to 
the enactment of the laAV of 1818. Wickersham 's statement, 
and one by Edmonds to the effect that Lancasterian Schools 
were opened in 1817 by James Edwards, John D. Weston, Abel 
S. Trood and Edward Baker (36:16), seem to be based upon 
similar but inaccurate statements in Scharf and Westcott's 
History of Philadelphia, which was compiled from the earlier 
History by Westcott. In volume lof Scharf and Westcott oc- 
curs a statement relative to this matter in which there is 
scarcely a sentence which is not inaccurate, to say the least, 
either by implication or direct statement: "James Edwards 
who had established himself in the city in 1817, claimed to be 
the only certified teacher from Joseph Lancaster in Philadel- 
phia. Edward Baker in January (1818) delivered a lecture on 
the Lancasterian system. Edwards came out shortly after- 
wards with a long statement, claiming his position as the only 
teacher of the real and true Lancasterian system, which, he 
followed strictly 'excepting such corporeal punishments as are 
not permitted by the laws of the country. ' In a subsequent ad- 
vertisement Edwards admitted that he never had learned the 
system from Lancaster, in fact had never seen that person, but 
had obtained his knowledge in Canada from William Scott. 
who was one of Lancaster's pupils" (39:1:593). Now the facts 
are, this teacher's name was Edward, not Edwards, and he had 
established himself in the city in 1816 and not in 1817 
(6:8-27-1816). It is true that Baker delivered a lecture upon 



24 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

the subject on Jainiary 7, 1818, and after this the statement re- 
ferred to was issued, but this was neither Baker's first appear- 
ance nor the first clash between him and Edward. Westcott 
indeed says that Baker set up a Lancasterian school at 48 S. 
Fifth street in December (41:IV:481), but it was as early as 
November 15, 1817, that he had announced the organization of 
"The Real Lancasterian School," (26:11-15-1817), and in De- 
cember 8, 1817. "having been slandered and grossly misrepre- 
sented by a pretended Lancasterian Teacher, named Edward" 
f'o had published a number of testimonials favorable to him- 
self, and a statement against Edward (6:12-8-1817). to which 
the latter replied with an array of opp''«sing testimony on Dec. 
81. 1817. ('6:12-31-1817). It was as early as this, not in a sub- 
sequent advertisement, that Edward admitted not having been 
a personal pupil of Lancaster, but having learned the system 
from William Scott, not in Canada, but in Dundee, Scotland. 

Scharf and Westcott continue: "Baker claimed to have 
organized the Lancasterian school in New York." "Mr. Cul- 
len lectured upon the system in the Lancasterian High School 
in January." "Mrs. Baker opened a Lancasterian school for 
girls at 48 S. Fifth street in March. John B. Weston opened a 
new Model School at No. 7 Pear street in June," (39:1:594). 

It is difficult to see how Baker could have claimed to have 
introduced the system into New York when the Free School So- 
ciety which employed him had introduced it there at least ten 
years previous to his employment (35:9). All his testimonials 
claim is that he had introduced improvements in the system. 
Mr. Cullen did indeed lecture at Edward's High School in Jan- 
uary. — and in February and March as well, if the announced 
plan was carried out. but it was upon chemistry and not upon 
"the system" that this "pupil of one of the best chemists in 
Europe" lectured (26:12-22-1817). It is also true that Mrs. 
Baker opened a school for girls in March. 1818. but it was not 
the first Lancasterian pay school for girls as is the implication, 
for James Edward in response to a demand had opened one in 
April, 1817 (6:4-2-1817). John D. Weston's "New Model 
School" was nothing more or less than a proposed Sunday 
School. He announced on June 12, 1818, in Poulson's Advertis- 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 25 

er that he would open his school room "for gratuitous instruc- 
tion in Reading and Writing, on Sundays or First days, as 
soon as there are funds and Teachers sufficient to warrant the 
undertaking." It is probable however that this "New Mod- 
el'd School" as he called it, never opened, since on August first 
he says that inasmuch as his offer of the rooms was not accept- 
ed he "presumes no such institutions are wanted here at pres- 

I ent, " and renews the offer if they should be wanted later 
(6:8-1-1818). Thus it is evident that a more accurate setting 
forth of this period of Lancasterian activity is needed, and 
such it is hoped this may prove to be. 

James Edward appeared in Philadelphia in 1816, and an- 
nounced on September 26th that the "Complete Lancasterian 
School" was open for the tuition of Boys in Orthography. 
Reading, AVriting and Arithmetic at No. 5 Pear street. An 
evening school was also announced to open October first. The 
announcement said: "The teacher was taught the system in 
Great Britain and has introduced it into Canada" (6:9-27- 
1816). On December 21st he announced that he had an assist- 
ant and could now devote part of his time to a class in the 
IMathematics (6). In response to numerous applications he 
announced on January 10 1817 that he was fitting up a F'^- 
male Lancasterian School, "for which a female teacher, pos- 
sessing the requisite talents will be completely qualified; and 
that it m.ay be conducted with strict propriety, the entering 

M and retiring of the two schools will differ half an hour, both 
morning and afternoon, by which J. Edward will be able to 
spend an hour per day in the superintendence of the female de- 
partment" (6). On April second it was announced that this 
Female School was open (6). Three days later Edward an- 
nounced a gratuitous lecture "elucidating the principles of the 
T;ancasterian system and endeavoring to show the peculiar 
advantages derived by the pupils who are taught thereby" 
(26). On August 26th the public are notified that "The Com- 
plete Lancasterian School for Both Sexes" Avill open on "the 
first of the ninth month" at No. 5 Pear street, and that teaeh- 
erc vrill be "qualified gratuitously as usual" (6). The school 
must have been well patronized, for on September 25th Edward 



26 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

announced that having placed additional tables in his room he 
could accommodate a few more pupils but it would be neces- 
sary to make early application (6). 

The results of Edward's work the preceding year were 
already manifest in the establishment of schools by a number 
of his pupils. On March 24, 1817, Jonathan D. Ayres. pnblisb.- 
ed a statement that on March 31st he would open a school at 
No. 1621/2 North Third Street, and accompanied it by a certifi- 
cate of efficiency from Edward (6). 

On April 29th J. Verdries announced the opening of a "Se- 
lect Lancasterian School" at the N. E. Corner of Race and 
Chester Streets (6). Verdries was an Edward student who for 
some reason had left the school before his time was up. In 
a newspaper "Notice" on March 4th he informs his fellow 
citizens that it was for just cause "well known to a large num- 
ber of the inhabitants of this city" (33). The next day James 
Edward advertises Verdries to the public as one who had brok- 
en his contract, and being without proper certificates, an im- 
postor (33). Nevertheless Verdries seems not to have been 
much hindered in his work since he announces the next De- 
cember (20th) that he has employed an additional teacher for 
the Select Lancasterian School (6). 

On the twenty-fourth day of June, 1817, A. S. Trood, an- 
other pupil of Edward announces a Lancasterian School at No. 
5 Apple-tree Alley. He sets forth in his advertisement that he 
has taught a considerable time in Europe, and a short time 
in New York, on the old system, and finally having acquired 
"a practical knowledge of the Lancasterian system of Mr. 
James Edward of this city, hopes by prompt attention to the 
pupils that are intrusted to his care to merit patronage of the 
public." He also appends an Edward certificate and a testi- 
monial of his work in New York (26). In the following Sep- 
tember (9th) he advertises his school again under the title 
of " Trood 's Lancasterian Academy" (26). 

On July 19, 1817, a female pupil of Edward, Mary M. 
Archer, announced the opening of her "Complete Lancasterian 
School"' at 1621/2 North Third street, evidently in conjunction 
with the Ayres School already opened at the same place. She 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 27 

further announced that "Young Ladies wishing to acquire a 
knowledge of this beautiful system of teaching celebrated by 
the enlightened of every country where it is known; neither 
have the philanthropic of this city been insensible of its value — 
those that come forward well recommended, shall be taught 
the system gratuitously" (6). On October second she announc- 
es a provision for needle-work in the school and her intention 
to provide a special room for it that it may be brought "within 
the order of the system" (6). 

Thus the influence of Edward and his work seemed to be 
undisputed until November 1817, when Edward Baker arrived 
on the scene with the announcement of a school 
whose very name seemed at once a protest and a 
r-hallenge — "The Real Lancasterian School." Baker claimed 
to have been taught the system by Joseph Lancaster (26:11-15- 
1817), and had a certificate from the Secretary of the British 
and Foreign School Society to the effect that he had practiced 
it satisfactorily for several years, presumably in England. He 
carried also testimonials from De "Witt Clinton and John Gris- 
com of New York City where he had taught and also from 
thirty-five of his patrons in Troy, New^ York where he seems 
to have been teaching in the spring of 1817 (6:12-8-1817). 
Along with his first Philadelphia advertisement however, he 
placed but one testimonial, and that was from Benjamin Shaw. 
a member of the British and Foreign School Committee who in 
1815 had gone to Paris to introduce the system into France 
but had now for some time made his home in Philadelphia. 
Shaw had published several months before an address "To the 
Philadelphia Society for Promoting Public Economy, and the 
Citizens of Pennsylvania." This address appeared in four 
parts, the first instalment on May 29, 1817, the fourth on July 
10th, in the columns of the Aurora General Advertiser. The 
aim of this address was to impress the advantages of the Lan- 
epsterian system, especially its economy. Shaw demonstrates 
that there could be a saving of $16,000 in the educational ex- 
penditure of the city and Northern Liberties. He quotes J 
"Wslsh in the American Register as saying that he had found 
a Lancasterian school of 400 at Cincinnati and "considerable 



28 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

seJiools of the kind" at Lexington and Louisville, and says 
that "Mr. Paul Beck convinced of its great utility is about 
building a public school at his own expense." The possible 
application of this system of instruction even to the higher 
studies he shows by reference to the work of James Pillans 
in the Edinburgh High School, and makes extended reference 
to its national establishment in France which was secured from 
Napoleon in 1815 (6). 

Baker, probably because of his endorsement by the Brit- 
ish and Foreign School Society of which Shaw was a member, 
had little difficulty in securing the latter 's endorsement, for 
Shaw refers to Baker as "the only Teacher I have met with 
in America certificated by the British and Foreign School Com- 
mittee of which I am a member." He does indeed declare that 
Baker was the pui>il of Joseph Lancaster, but he no doubt 
counted the other qualifications as equally important. It is 
quite certain too, that the "large room" (26:11-15-1817) in 
which Baker opened his school at 48 South Fifth street was 
the property of Shaw, for later, when the Public School Con- 
trollers used it they rented it from Shaw (22:5-7-1818). 

The coming of Baker into the field so long held by Edward 
and his adherents was the occasion of much controversy. 
Baker's announcement appeared in Poulson's American Daily 
Advertiser on Saturday November 15, 1817, and in the same 
paper on the following Monday (17th) appeared an elaborate 
advertisement of Edward's school which he now denominated 
"The Lancaster! an High School of Philadelphia;" and he so 
continued to advertise it in this and other papers notably the 
Aurora General Advertiser. He had evidently been preparing 
for this njovement for some time however, even before the op- 
ening oc Baker's school, and perhaps in the hope of forestall- 
ing it, for on November 7th he had inserted a card in Poulson's 
paper announcing the engagement of an Usher of eminent abil- 
ities, which would make it possible for him to introduce the 
Latin Language on the Lancasterian System. He also makes 
a bid for the influence which was about to be thrown to Baker 
by referring to Shaw's statement that Latin, Greek, Geogra- 
phy, Astronomy and the Mathematics had been taught for 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 29 

nearly six years on this plan in the Edinburgh High School and 
"J. E. has an expectation that this will carry some weight 
with those who may be willing to try the experiment. ' ' At the 
same time he announced the formation of a French Class (26). 

On November 22nd, a few days after the announcement of 
his High School, Edward advertised a Gratuitous Lecture, the 
object of which was "to show the Christian necessity of giving 
religious education to the poor, and the facility with which 
that most desirable end may be accomplished by the introduc- 
tion of the common principles of the Lancasterian System of 
education" (6). 

It was but two or three weeks until Edward and Baker 
were in a public controversy as to which had the genuine Lan- 
casterian method, and the result was a partisan line-up. It 
is rather interesting to note the sublime indifference of these 
teachers of pay schools to the earlier Lancasterian Charity 
Schools of Philadelphia, which must have been established 
while they were both little more than monitors across the wat- 
er. One might think, to read their statements, especially those 
of Edward, that Lancasterian darkness had reigned until their 
advent. On December 8, 1817, Baker, "having been slandered 
and grossly misrepresented by a pretended Lancasterian 
Teacher, named Edward," published in the Aurora his testi- 
monials from Secretary Fox, De Witt Clinton, John Griscom 
and Thomas Eddy, along with a statement that Edward had 
failed as a teacher in Montreal. He followed this on Novem- 
ber 11th with a statement in the same newspaper that Edward 
never saw Joseph Lancaster and consequently could hold no 
certificate from him which Edward had been claiming to do 
ever since his High School announcement. In that announce- 
ment Edward had said that he had introduced the system into 
Canada, that he had certificates from Lancaster in his own 
handwriting "containing his entire approbation and confi- 
dence," and that as a result of his work in Philadelphia there 
had been upwards of forty schools established in Philadel- 
phia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, the city of Balti- 
more, and other parts of the Union in the short space of four- 
teen months (6:11-27-1817). This claim however, did not 



30 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

daunt Baker who published on December 27th an endorse- 
ment of himself and his school by sixteen of the prominent 
citizens of Philadelphia. The first name is that of Robert Ral- 
ston, President of the Society for the Promotion of Public 
Economy, and it is signiticant that two are names of those who 
were on the first Board of Public School Controllers, one its 
President — Roberts Vaux — and William Fry; while three oth- 
ers were among the first school directors in the first section of 
the first district (6). 

On December 31, 1817, because of "some attempts having 
recently been made to weaken the confidence of the public ' ' 
in his labors, and because the teachers under his care desired 
the public to know "that he is immediately under the patron- 
age of Joseph Lancaster," Edward published a number of tes- 
timonials and extracts troni his corre«pundence witii Ijttncii:^- 
ter. From these it appears that Edward had learned ttie sys- 
tem not from Joseph Lancaster in England but from Lancas- 
ter's pupil, William Scott in Dundee. Prom there Edward 
had gone to Canada and after several years had left there for 
Philadelphia. While in Canada he had received several let- 
ters from Lancaster, commending him for the sake of William 
Scott, the teacher of Edward and pupil of Lancaster; and 
these were his "certificates from Lancaster." As an offset 
to Baker's reflection upon his work in Montreal he published 
a testimonial signed by a number of prominent persons who 
knew him and his work there. In addition, he claimed that 
the cities of New York and Baltimore had improved their 
Laucasterian schools through visiting his. Conceding that 
Baker had organized the New York Schools he says the trus- 
tees had nevertheless sent to Philadelphia a teacher to be quali- 
fied a second time by Edward, because of his superior method 
(6). 

The New York teacher referred to by Edward was prob- 
ably Shepherd Johnson. Boese speaking of the work in New 
York says: "Some months before the arrival of the expect- 
ed model teacher [Picton] Mr. Shepherd Johnson, a young 
man who had received his entire education in the schools of 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 31 

the Society and passed through the successive stages of moni- 
torship with great credit, was sent to Philadelphia at the ex- 
pense of the Society to inspect the results of the monitorial 
system in that city. On his return he was appointed to take 
charge of School No. 3" (34:32). The expected model teach- 
er according to Bourne was Charles Picton from England who 
was recommended in June 1818, but did not arrive until Sep- 
tember (35:31). "Several months" before his "expected ar- 
rival" is indefinite enough to make the above supposition 
quite probable even though it does not appear from the New 
York end that Johnson was sent "to be qualified a second 
time." 

An interesting method taken by Edward to increase his 
patronage, was the insertion in Poulson's advertiser on De- 
cember 19, 1817, and several times thereafter, of an advertise- 
ment in the French language. In this announcement of his 
"Nouvelle Ecole" he refers to the introduction of the system 
into France and tells the French residents of the city that 
since he has a knowledge of the French language it will be a 
great advantage to them to have their children under his 
care. He pretends a great attachment for them and invites 
them to visit his school and give him the opportunity to con- 
verse with them in their admirable language. There is reason 
to believe too, that Edward had formed an association of his 
adherents under the title of "The Philadelphia and Pennsyl- 
vania Association of Teachers of the Lancasterian System of 
Education." At least he publishes on December 19, 1817, the 
announcement of a "stated meeting" of such an Association 
in his High School on the first Monday of the first month" 
and signs it "By order James Edward, President." The sec- 
retary is A. S. Trood, one of his pupils (26). 

On December 30, 1817, Baker announced that on the next 
Wednesday he would deliver a lecture elucidating the Lan- 
casterian System (6). It is evident from the number of ap- 
pearances of, this advertisement that the lecture was given on 
January 7th. About two weeks later (Janury 22) Edward 
published that by a legal investigation and the testimony of 



32 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

thoroughly qualified teachers of the system, it had been es- 
tablished that his was the real and true Lancasterian system 
" as taught by Joseph Lancaster himself, excepting such cor- 
poreal punishments as are not permitted by the laws of this 
country ; and that where there is the least deviation by James 
Edward, it is only in such things as are required to adapt the 
system to the higher classes of citizens, and the higher branch- 
es of education" (26). 

Baker's Lancasterianism seems to have appealed especial- 
ly to teachers already in service. In February 1818, William 
Mann, teacher of the Academy, Mount Holly, N. J., announced 
through the Philadelphia papers that having satisfied himself 
that Baker's knowledge of the system was superior to that of 
any other person in the city of Philadelphia, he had preferred 
to pay him a moderate sum to learn the system rather than to 
acquire it gratuitously from anyone else (26). Peter Ulrick, 
a teacher in Northern Liberties, announced on August 27, 1817, 
the sale of "A Valuable Lancasterian Establishment," with 
seats for 280 pupils, producing an income of from $2500 to 
$3000 a year, exclusive of evening tuition (6). Ill health was 
the cause assigned for his desire to sell. He did not succeed 
in disposing of his school, for on November 21st, he an- 
nounces the opening at the same place of "The New and Real 
Lancasterian School for Both Sexes." He states that having 
discovered that the mode hitherto practised in the city and 
Liberties, called the Lancasterian System, was not correct in 
its practice, but only a faint attempt at it, he has engaged Mr. 
Edward Baker, to thoroughly instruct him in the Real Lancas- 
terian System, and claims that wnth the exception of Baker's, 
his is the only true school in Philadelphia. He appends a cer- 
tificate from Baker stating that he has already made rapid 
progress (26). On February 3rd, 1818 appears a report of Ul- 
rick 's public examination by Baker which lasted several 
hours, "yet Mr. U. answered with great exportness and prac- 
tised with dexterity with a number of his scholars" (26). 

On March 6, 1818, Baker advertised a series of weekly 
lectures to explain the mode of teaching by the Lancasterian 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 33 

System, "not by a florid discourse to captivate the fancy, but 
by an actual exhibition of the mode itself" (26). During the 
same month, Mrs. Baker announced the proposed opening of 
the Female Lancasterian School on March 30th in a room ad- 
joining Mr. Baker's School at 48 S. Fifth Street, and here she 
continued for some time even after her husband had entered 
the service of the Board of Controllers (26:3-25-1818). Bak- 
er's appointment to the charge of the temporary Model School 
established by the Controllers (22:4-30-1818) was soon follow- 
ed by a public statement by Edward of his intention to return 
to Great Britain. lie declared that in eighteen months he had 
qualified upwards of sixty teachers gratuitously, practically 
all of whom engaged in teaching the system and in teaching 
others gratuitously (26). The first appearance of this card of 
withdrawal was on May 13th. It appeared again on May 27th 
and on the following day called forth an anonymous letter to 
the editor, in which, for the benefit of readers at a distance 
from Philadelphia, it was stated that so much of Edward's no- 
tice as tended to leave the impression that Edward had had 
any agency in producing the late legislative act providing for 
free Lancasterian schools was wholly erroneous. It is even 
said that the promulgators of the act had no intercourse with 
him, and that the new school Directors have not deemed his 
knowledge of sufficient importance to consult him (26). This 
protest was the result of a rather obscure reference to the new 
law by Edward, which was perhaps intended to leave the im- 
pression stated. Edward made reply the next day (29th) as- 
serting that he did not know the persons alluded to as origi- 
nally interested in the passage of the Lancasterian School 
Law, but that ''the generality of the persons composing the 
Committee on Public Schools very constantly attended his 
school upwards of twelve months, and were so far convinced 
of its superiority as to elect his teachers, and no later than yes- 
terday did the board for public schools in Southwark unani- 
mously elect one of his teachers to the largest and most splen- 
did establishment for the system within the precincts of 
Philadelphia; the same day part of a committee for Chester, 



34 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

waited upon him for one of his teachers, where they had ap- 
pointed one of them before, and declared that they had ex- 
amined most of the Lancasterian Schools in the city, but had 
seen none conducted equal to their own. But so far from J. 
E. wishing it to be thought that he had any influence in the in- 
troduction of the system adopted for the public schools ('this 
is for the information of readers at a distance ') it is well known 
to a great majority of the citizens here, that already in his 
lectures on the system, previously to its being known whose 
method of Lancaster's system would have been preferred, he 
not only gave his decided disapprobation of the system now 
adopted, but explained all the objectionable points to the ap- 
probation of his audiences. He is sorry to have to say that th3 
system about to be introduced has already been very generally 
despised by two of the first cities in the Union and that he 
would be sorry at heart to have been instrumental in its intro- 
duction. ' ' 

"J. E. states from authority that no person professing to 
know the system made application for the model school, ex- 
cept the person elected [Baker], although the president per- 
sonally applied to a gentleman Avho teaches upon J. E's plan, 
to make application, and publicly advertised for teachers for 
that situation, and that some of the directors fully coincide 
with J. E's opinion of the system, and do not hesitate since 
they have seen the example in operation, publicly to declare 
their disapprobation, and preference to the method pursued 
and introduced by James Edward" (26). Edward's "inside 
information" does not quite agree with a Minute of the Board 
of Control dated April 15, 1818 which says: "Sundry appli- 
cations from persons proposing to teach the Model School 
were received, read, and ordered to lay upon the. table" (22). 

Just what the difference was between the Edward brand 
and the Baker brand of Lancasterianism is a little hard to de- 
cipher from the material remaining to us. It was in a sense 
the transplanting of the difficulty between Lancaster and the 
British and Foreign School Society, since Edward claimed the 
personal endorsement of Lancaster, and to have left Britian 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 35 

before the formation of the British and Foreign School Socie- 
ty (6:12-31-1817). Baker on the other hand carried an en- 
dorsement from the Secretary of that Society, Joseph Fox, and 
received a hearty welcome and endorsement in Philadelphia 
from Benjamin Shaw who was a member of the School Socie- 
ty. Edward gave gratuitous instruction to teachers, while 
Baker did not hesitate to make a charge (26:2-14-1818), but 
the fact is that neither teacher could lay claim to an unadul- 
terated Lancasterianism for both advertised '"improvements" 
in the system. That the quarrel existed there is no doubt, that 
each side had enthusiastic partisans there is no doubt, and it 
is just such a quarrel as might have been expected when these 
two teachers, each hailing "from England" came together to 
conduct similar enterprises on the same territory. But as re- 
gards the justification for tlieir counter claims of superior 
method, I can say nothing pertinent that is warranted by the 
results of a somewhat laborious investigation of this phase of 
the subject. One might conclude from Edward's statement 
that the difference lay in that he had tried to adapt the sys- 
tem to the higher branches and to the higher classes of socie- 
ty, but the suggestion of this he admits receiving from Benja- 
min Shaw who was a partisan of Baker; and besides in Bak- 
er's school also higher branches were taught, including Geome- 
try, Astronomy, Elocution and Natural Philosophy, although 
there is no announcement of Latin and French as in Edward's 
High School. 

When Edw^ard announced his withdrawal he also stated 
that he had procured a competent successor who proved to be 
John D. Weston. According to his own account Weston had 
practised the system for several years in London and had been 
teaching on the Lancasterian plan at No. 420 North Fourth 
Street since the first of January, 1817 (26 :5-13-1818). Edward 
had promised his patrons to remain until the close of the quar- 
ter at the end of July (26:5-13-1818), but according to Wes- 
ton signed an agreement that Weston should receive all tui- 
tion fees for the quarter. This agreement he appears to have 
broken by trying to collect some of the fees, and Weston issued 



36 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

through the public press on August 3rd a "Caution to James 
Edward, late Teacher, and to the Public" which he justified 
by the statement that he had offered to refer the matter to 
some disinterested person, which Edward had promptly re- 
fused to do (6:8-3-1818). So Edward passes from the 
scene, while Baker continues in the public Model School to be 
superseded in a few months by the one individual who could 
be supposed to hold that brand of the system about which 
there could be no dispute — the author of the system himself. 
But this belongs to the next chapter of Lancasterian school 
history in Philadelphia. 

Evening schools were not uncommon in connection with 
these Lancasterian pay schools but there is one evening school 
which is of especial interest which seems to have been con- 
ducted on this plan, although the evidence at hand is not 
quite conclusive. Prior to October first of 1817 and of 1818, 
James Kelly announces an Evening School "for People of 
Color," to instruct men and boys in the sundry branches of 
an English Education. The school was in Cherry street on 
the north side, above Sixth. The fact that he offers for sale 
"the most approved Lancasterian rules for teaching that 
system" seems rather strong evidence that we have here a 
Lancasterian Colored Evening School (6:9-27-1817). 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 37 



CHAPTER V. 
Public Schools. 

The part which the Society for the Establishment and 
Support of Charity Schools had in the adoption of a public 
system of Lancasterian education has already been indicated. 
There was formed on May 13, 1817, another association which 
worked most effectively toward the same end. It was term- 
ed "The Pennsylvania Society for the Promotion of Public 
Economy." (28:5-16-1817). The By-Laws of the Articles of 
Association provided for a number of committees, among 
them "A Committee on Public Schools, to consist of twelve 
members whose duty it shall be to examine into and ascer- 
tain whether the laws establishing public schools are properly 
administered, and to report such improvements in the mode 
of educating the poor as may be worthy of public recommen- 
dation" (28:5-29-1817). The chairman of this Committee was 
Roberts Vaux, the secretary, Jonah Thompson. Although its 
report v/as not rendered until the tenth of the next November 
the Committee began its work almost immediately, as is shown 
by the call issued for a meeting on May 30th (26). The re- 
port rendered recites the law upon the school question to 
date, beginning with the Constitution of 1776 which recog- 
nized the free education of the indigent as a necessary public 
duty. The seventh article of the constitution of 1790 is quot- 
ed, which lays the obligation upon the legislature to estab- 
lish such schools, although not until 1809 did the legislature 
make provision for the gratuitous education of poor children. 
As the law was found inapplicable to the dense population 
of Philadelphia a supplement to it was passed in 1812 con- 
templating a remedy for the state of things in the City of 
Philadelphia and vicinity. According to the report the result 
was far from satisfactory. "Tutors morally unworthy and 



38 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

intellectually incapable wasted the public fund," and irregu- 
lar attendance was also a hindrance. In every view from its 
first establishment to the time of the report, the then existing 
plan of education is disclosed to have been "not only injurious 
to the character of the rising generation but a benevolent 
fraud upon the public bounty." Then follows the statement 
that while in the last eight years almost two hundred thou- 
sand dollars have been spent uselessly upon a scheme of pub- 
lic education, numerous private schools for indigent children 
have been in successful operation. After this comes a rec- 
ommendation of the Lancasterian System. Among numerous 
benefits which it is destined to confer, is mentioned great 
economy of expense, — the cost of educating a child for a year 
is known from accurate data not to exceed three dollars, which 
r means a saving of nine dollars per child, or twenty-seven 
thousand, eight hundred and twenty eight dollars for the 
county in a year. Economy, however, is not the only merit 
ascribed to it; it fosters habits of attention, order and obe- 
dience, and it laA^s under tribute the state at large, by incul- 
cating uniformity of principles and habits among the child- 
ren of those citizens who are the subjects of this kind of in- 
struction, "a desideratum essential to the formation of correct 
national feeling and character." The society is urged to 
promote this system of education as being better suited to 
the district of Philadelphia, and promising to spread its use- 
fulness throughout the entire commonwealth. 

The Committee also submitted the outline of a bill to be 
presented to the Legislature. As a result of the Committee's 
work the Legislature did within a few months pass a bill simi- 
lar in some respects to the one outlined, but differing from 
it in some verj^ material features whose significance was on- 
ly appreciated later. The Act was signed March 3, 1818, 
and in a short editorial on March 6th Poulson offers "public 
congratulation" to the committee on Public Schools as de- 
serving full credit for its passage (26). The most important 
of the differences between the Bill and the Act concerned the 
beneficiaries of the Law. Mr. Vaux, and doubtless other 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 39 

members of the Committee, from long connection with chari- 
ty school movements had come to know their point of failure 
too well to ask for a legislative provision for a charity school 
system. About a month before the Committee made its re- 
port, the Society instituted for the Establishment and Support 
of Charity Schools had voiced in an address to the Public a 
conviction which was the result of long practical experience. 
These are the words: "In the United States the benevolence 
of the inhabitants has led to the establishment of Charity 
Schools, which, though affording individual advantages are not 
likely to be followed by the political benefits kindly contemplat- 
ed by their founders. There is a disposition in the people averse 
to -dependence. In the country a parent will raise children 
in ignorance rather than place them in charity schools. It 
is only in large cities that charity schools succeed to any ex- 
tent. These dispositions may be improved to the best ad- 
vantage, by the Legislature, in place of Charity Schools, es- 
tablishing Public Schools for the education of all children, 
the offspring of the rich and the poor" (20:XI). That the 
Committee on Public Schools should share this well-founded 
conviction, was but natural in view of the claim made by 
the Society (9:26); and the outline bill submitted by them 
reads thus: "It shall be the duty of the assessors of every 
ward and township, annually to furnish the superior board 
of directors with a certified list of all the children resident 
Avithin their respective wards and townships, boys between the 
ages of six and sixteen years and girls between the ages of 
five and fifteen years, and the parents of said children shall 
be notified once in every year that they may send their chil- 
dren to the school within the section where they reside" 
(29:10). The Committee's suggestion was entitled "Outline 
of a Bill for the Education of Children at Public Expense." 
The caption of the law was also: "An Act to provide for 
the Education of Children at Public Expense, within the City 
and County of Philadelphia," but its wording was: "It shall 
be the duty of the Assessors of every ward and township 
within the said district in which any School Section is or may 



40 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

be established by and under this act, upon being required to 
do so by the said Controllers or Directors of the Public 
Schools, as the case may be, to require and receive once in 
every year from parent? and eruardians, the names of all indi- 
gent orphan children ; children of indigent parents residing 
within the said school sections respectively; that is to say, 
the names of boys between the ages of six and fourteen years, 
and girls between the ages of five and thirteen years ; and to in- 
form the said parents and guardians of such children that 
they may send the said children to the proper school within 
said section free of expense and the children thus returned 
shall, if approved by the controllers or directors of the in- 
corporated districts aforesaid, be admitted into the schools 
under their direction; and in case the said assessors shall 
omit to make a return of any poor children within their wards 
or townships the said controllers or directors being inform- 
ed of the same, shall cause the names of the children so omit- 
ted to be placed on the said list and be educated as the child- 
ren returned on the list aforesaid." (1:3-3-1818). There wna 
essentially but the substitution of "indigent" children for 
"all" children, but it meant the establishment of pauper 
schools instead of real public schools and the delay of the lat- 
ter for nearly two decades. 

The Committee's bill provided that the city and county 
of Philadelphia, to be denominated the first school district of 
the state, should be divided into four sections. The Legisla- 
ture followed this suggestion naming the sections as follows : 

FIRST: The City of Philadelphia. 

SECOND : Northern Liberties and Kensington 

THIRD: Southwark, Moyamensing and Passyunk 

FOURTH : Penn township. 
The Bill provided that there should be eight directors for the 
city, to be chosen by the judges ; but the Act provided that 
there should be twenty-four, to be elected by the select and 
common councils. The Committee, however, advocated the 
Lancasterian system so ardently that they no doubt felt they 
had gained their contention when this provision of the Bi!! 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 41 

was embodied in the tenth section of the Act, providing, "That 
the principles of Lancaster's system of education in its most 
improved state, shall be adopted and pursued in all public 
schools within the district, with the exceptions hereafter 
mentioned." The exceptions are named in section fourteen, 
where it is stated that since the plan of education before men- 
tioned may be inconvenient to the townships hereafter named, 
it, therefore, becomes proper to adopt one better calculated 
to further their local situation. The townships of Oxford, 
Lower Dublin, Byberry and Moreland constituted the fi^'th 
sections. Germantown, Bristol and Roxborough the sixth, and 
Blockley and Kingsessing the seventh. 

It was due to the sparseness of population in these sec 
tions that the system was not practicable (4:4) but provisio-i 
was made in the Act whereby they could adopt the Lancas- 
terian system whenever it seemed best. Westcott incorrectly 
states a supplement to the law, embodying some of the features 
just named was passed on March 24th (41:482). The feature"? 
he names as supplementary were embodied in the original act 
and "approved the third day of March, one thou'^sand eight 
hundred and eighteen" (1:3-3-1818). 

Scharf and Westcott 's History is also singularly inaccu- 
rate in its statements relative to this matter, and indeed not 
consistent with itself or with Westcott. It makes the state- 
ment in Volume 1 that "the Legislature had in 1817 declared 
the city and county the First School District of Pennsylva- 
nia" and repeats the error of Westcott by asserting that an- 
other act provided for the election of the directors, which 
were to number twelve in the city and six in each of the other 
sections (39:1:594). In Volume III of the same work the 
statement is made that on the 16th of March, 1818 the Legis- 
Ip.tnrf passed an act which erected the First School District 
of Pennsylvania, and in this connection the names of twenty- 
four directors in the first section are given, twelve in the sec- 
ond and third, and six in the fourth (39:111:1926). 

The Act of 1818 also established a model school to train 
teachers in the system, and a Central Board of Controllers to 



42 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 



be elected by the local directors, one for every six members 
of the local board. 

The first meeting of this Central Board was held April 6 
1818 (22). The members were: 

First Section : Robert Vaux 

Thomas Stewardson 
Joseph Reed 
William Fry 
Second Section: George Boyd 
: Peter Keyser 
Third Section : Ebenezer Ferguson 
: James Ronaldson 
Fourth Section: David Woelpper 
In the organization Roberts Vaux was elected President 
of the Board, a position he held for fourteen years. 

In the first annual report of the Controllers, issued Feb- 
ruary 11, 1819, the folloMnng tabulation appears: 



Section 



First 



Second 



Third 



Fourth 



School 

Model 

School 
not provided 
I Adelphi 

J 

] Kensington 



Teachers 

Joseph Lancaster 



John Ely 

Eliza Allison 
Joseph Ketter 
Jane Proudfit 



Boys 

413 



350 



110 



310 



Girls 
320 



330 



IMoyamensing Peter M'Gowan 
j Maria Wilson 

] Southw^ark Samuel F. Watson 240 
I Elizabeth Millard 

84 



92 



360 



160 



76 



J Spring Moses Taylor 

] Garden (One room) 
Total number of pupils — 2845. The two Adelphi schools 
were in the Adelphi school-house, builf by the Friends Asso- 
ciation on Peg Street. 

It is to be noted that Joseph Lancaster, founder of the 
system, is named as teacher of the Model School. He had come 
to America in the autumn of 1818 landing at New York where, 
according to his own account, he was kindl}^ welcomed by the 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 43 

Mayor, Recorder and Governor De Witt Clinton who invited 
him to Albany and ''introduced him to the leading persons 
in the chief town on the Hudson" (15:11). Not tarrying long 
in New York, however, he proceeded to Philadelphia where 
"Robert Wharton, the Mayor, the Recorder of Philadelphia, 
Roberts Vaux, the benevolent president of the Board of Con- 
trollers for public schools, whose life has been devoted to 
benevolence and public usefulness, gave him a generous wel- 
come" (15:11). This was evidently early in October, 1818, 
for in the minutes of the Board of Control dated October 10th 
is a resolution that Joseph Reed and E. Ferguson and George 
Boyd be a committee to accompany Joseph Lancaster in visit- 
ing the schools. 

According to the Philadelphia Gazette and Daily Adver- 
tiser (28:10-20-1818) he arrived in the city on Monday, Octo- 
ber 19th and was introduced to the Board of Controllers by 
Robert Wharton, Joseph Reed and Clement C. Biddle, who 
had been appointed by the Directors of Section Number One 
"to extend civilities to the author of the system of education 
adopted in this District, by a law of the last Legislature" 
(21). LTnder date of October 20 the minutes record the fact 
that Thomas Stewardson and Ebenezer Ferguson were appoint- 
ed a committee to confer with Joseph Lancaster on the subject 
of his superintending the Model School "till the same be 
brought to strict conformity to his system." On October 23rd 
this committee reported that Lancaster's services could be se- 
cured to organize the Model School and instruct sectional 
teachers at the rate of one hundred and twenty dollars per 
month, and the commJttee was authorized to engage his ser- 
vices at these terms. The same day the following advertise- 
ment appeared in the Aurora General Advertiser: 



Lectures on Education 

by Joseph Lancaster. 

The inhabitants of Philadelphia and its vicinity are res- 
pecftully informed that Joseph Lancaster intends to deliver 
three lectures on the important subject of education. 



44 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

The first is intended to take place this evening, at seven 
o'clock in the western wing of the State House. The lecture 
will embrace an historical account of the rise and progress of 
knowledge, with interesting notices of events, characters and 
institutions that have constituted, by its enlightening in- 
fluences on the human mind, to improve the condition of man 
in society. Admission to this lecture 50 cents ; children half 
price. Tickets to be had at the door of the lecture room. 

The second lecture is fixed for second day (Monday) 
evening next, at seven o'clock. 

The nature and advantage of the Lancasterian System of 
Education is the subject proposed for the second Lecture. 
Terms of admission the same as for the first. 

The subject of the third Lecture, will relate to the origin, 
progress, and effect, of those excellent institutions called Sun- 
day schools. Time, place, will be duly advertised. 
October 23. 

Of this first lecture in Philadelphia there remains to us an 
abstract by William Duane, which appeared on the editorial 
page of his General Advertiser on October 26th. He says: 
"We attended the first lecture of Joseph Lancaster, introduc- 
tory to his views of the particular system of education, in 
which he has been so long and laudably engaged. 

"The basis of his discourse was this maxim — knowledge 
is power; to illustrate and apply it he entered into historical 
references and comparisons of the state of society in remote 
ages and in the present; the difficulties which lay in the way 
of knowledge before writing was rendered accessible to all, 
and the progressive steps from inscriptions on rocks and on 
nsetal plates — writing on the leaves of trees, on bark, on leath- 
ex-, pareliment, paper of cotton, and paper of linen; all these 
several stages he marked, and took occasion to show what 
benefits are to be derived from competition and emulation, in 
an anecdote of a king of Egj'pt who refused to permit the na- 
tive article papyrus to be exported; which stimulated a king 
of Pergamos to cause to be prepared parchment, which gave 
a cheaper, more durable and universal medium for writing. 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 45 

He pointed out the discovery of the mariner's compass, of 
America — of the doubling of the Cape of Africa, and other 
great and useful discoveries, and finally, of printing itself, as 
the effect of alphabetic reading and writing — and asked what 
would have been the state of mankind now had the art of 
reading and writing not been invented. 

"He ingeniously adverted to the discoveries of the tele- 
scope and microscope, the sublime discoveries of astronomy, 
the circulation of the blood, chemistry, and all its rich dis- 
coveries to the art of writing and reading, — that is to know- 
ledge, which could only be diffused by these means — and that 
knowledge was power. 

"It was that knowledge which taught Franklin to con- 
duet the lightning and send it harmless to the earth; it was 
the same knowledge which taught America the right and pow- 
er to become independent : it was the example of America that 
conduces to the happiness of all other nations. 

"His address to the audience on the particular situation 
and advantage possessed by the United States was extremely 
impressive and beautiful; and he gave it with a figure, which 
for force, and truth, and importance was truly admirable, he 
alluded to the mental condition of Brazil, where the v/aut of 
knowledge had rendered the people insensible to the vali'.e of 
their possessions: — it was customary there, he said, to use a 
very common kind of pebbles in their pastimes, which they 
threw away with indifference on every occasion after they 
used them; but some persons who had knowledge, happening 
in Brazil, and seeing these pebbles used in their amusements, 
perceived that these pebbles were diamonds of great value, 
only concealed by the rough crust of their exterior; this dis- 
covery was no sooner made known than the king of Portugal 
claimed by royal right the exclusive property of these pebbles 
and it was only after they found out their value the people 
discovered, that from want of knowledge they had been un- 
conscious of the possession of articles of immense value, the 
worth of which they came to know only when they could no 
longer derive any support from them. This beautiful illus- 
tration of the effects of ignorance he directly applied to t)ie 



46 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

people of the United States, the diamond knowledge is yet in 
its rough state among you: do not lose the opportunity to 
polish it, and give it all its lustre and all its value; lest by 
neglecting this precious jewel, you fall into the same condi- 
tion as the Brazilians, who came to know the value of what 
they possessed, only when it was too late. 

' ' This is but an imperfect sketch of his lecture ; which was 
delivered with the usual plainness and simplicity of the So- 
.iiety of Friends. 

"He gives his second lecture on the present evening. His 
audience of both sexes were numerous and respectable ; and 
his labors promise to be most beneficial to society." 

In another column of the same paper appears the follow- 
ing notice: 

Lancasterian System of Education. 

The inhabitants of Philadelphia and its vicinity are res- 
pectfully informed that Joseph Lancaster, founder of the 
above-named system of education, intends to deliver a Lecture 
on its nature and advantages, in the western wing of the State 
House, this evening of second day, generally called Monday, 
the 26th instant, at seven o'clock. 

The lecture will contain much original matter, and that 
part which relates to female industry be highly interesting to 
ladies. 

Tickets of admission 50 cents each; children half price — 
to be had at Matthew Carey's Book-store, corner Fourth and 
Chestnut Streets; at Benjamin Warner's, 147, Market Street; 
also, at the door of the lecture room. 
October 26. 

This notice is followed on October 29th by the following: 

Joseph Lancaster's Lecture. 

Joseph Lancaster presents his respects to the friends of 
education, in Philadelphia, and informs them, that his intend- 
ed Lecture on those excellent institutions usually called Sun- 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 47 

day Schools, is appointed for tomorrow, sixth day evening, 
the 30th inst. at seven o'clock; To be delivered in the western 
wing of the State House. 

The lecture is intended to display the providential origin, 
progress and effect of these schools — with interesting facts 
and anecdotes. 

Information will be given of some improvement in the 
mode of conveying instruction in the sacred writings, most im- 
pressively. The subject to conclude with considerations on 
the importance of these institutions to society, in connection 
with national education and character. 

Admission 50 cents — children half price. Tickets to be 
had at the book stores of Matthew Carey, Corner of Fourth 
and Chestnut Street; at Benjamin Warner's, 147, Market 
Street; of B. T. Kite, North Third Street; and at the door. 
October 29. 

On November second came the following announcement 
of a repetition of the Lancasterian lecture (6:11-2-1818) and 
of two additional lectures, the first of which was delivered 
after a postponement, but the second appears not to have been 
delivered, probably because Lancaster entered the service of 
the Controllers on November 25th. 

Lancasterian System of Education. 

The friends of education are respectfully informed that 
Joseph Lancaster's Lecture on the nature and advantages of 
this system, is intended to be repeated, by special request, at 
the College Hall Fourth Street, the evening of tomorrow, 
third day of 11th mo. 1818, at seven o'clock. 

Tickets of admission, 50 cents each, children half price, 
to be had at the book stores of M. Carey, Corner of Fourth and 
Chestnut Streets, B. Warner, 147 Market Street, B & T. Kite, 
20 North Third Street, and at the door. 

Two additional lectures are proposed. 
Lecture 1st. On the science of the human mind, as connected 
with the government and education of youth, including the 
subject of rewards and punishments. 



48 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

Lecture 2d. On the domestic government and instruction of 
children, and on schools for female education 
and industry — to conclude with a short review 
of the means of national education, as possessed 
by society in its present state. 
Time and place will be advertised. 

November 2. 

Friends of Education 
In Philadelphia are requested to take notice, that Joseph Lan- 
caster's Lecture on Education, the Science of the Human 
Mind, &c. are suspended till the ensuing week. The time and 
place will be shortly advertised. 
October 10 [November] 

Joseph Lancaster's Lecture. 

Joseph Lancaster respectfully informs the friends of Edu- 
cation, that his Lecture on the Science of the Human Mind, 
as connected with its government and direction in Education, 
including the subject of rewards and punishments, is intend- 
ed to be delivered in the Western Wing of the State House on 
the evening of the -Ith day, usually called Wednesday, next, 
the 18th inst. at 7 o'clock. 

Tickets of admission 50 cents etc. 
November 14. 

It must not be supposed however, that the opening of the 
Model School had depended upon Lancaster's coming. On the 
very first day the Controllers met they had appointed a Com- 
mittee to inquire for a suitable teacher and a suitable build- 
ing and at the next meeting on April tenth they had decided 
to advertise for both these requisites (22). On April 30th 
Joseph Reed and George Boyd were appointed to contract 
with Edward Baker as tutor of the Model School at a salary 
not exceeding fourteen hundred dollars per annum to com- 
mence when the Model School should open. On May 7th the 
same committee was authorized to make a written contract 
with Baker and to rent from Benjamin Shaw his school room 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 49 

Number 48 South Fifth Street, for purposes of a temporary 
Model School Room (22). 

On May 7th it is "Resolved, that the President write to 
the respective Sectional Boards informing them that the 
Board has engaged Edward Baker as the Model Tutor, and 
rented the room now occupied by him as a temporary model 
school, and recommend to each Board to select from the coun- 
ty schools in their Sections thirty boys to be sent to the Model 
School that they may be trained for the office of monitors by 
the time the sectional schools will be opened; and all teachers 
designed for the sectional schools be instructed in the said 
Model School ; and that as each board appoint its tutors they 
be sent to be instructed in the principles and practice of the 
system. ' ' 

Thus Baker's private school passes out of existence and 
he becomes a public school teacher in the same school room 
(22:5-7-1818). There is a minute of April 28 which permits the 
teacher of the Model School to take pay scholars at one dollar 
per quarter, provided there is room, but no distinction is to be 
made between them and the scholars sent by the Controllers. 
A committee to receive applications for admission into the 
Model School (22) reported on July 10th that they had admit- 
ted a number of boys but that the applicants had been general- 
ly for girls whose names had not been returned by the asses- 
sors and whom the county commissioners declined admitting 
into private schools. 

Meantime a request had come for the establishment of 
German schools, but no action was taken. The Board was 
bending every energy to the construction of a permanent Mod- 
el School. On June 11th there is the record of the authoriza- 
tion of the purchase of a lot on Chester Street for $8000 and 
on July 10th the letting of the contract for the building for 
$3300. On September 15th (22) it is determined to notify Ben- 
jamin Shaw that his property will be vacated at the end of 
six months, and on November 2nd the Secretary is directed to 
notify Edward Baker that his contract will terminate in three 
months (22:11-2-1818). On October 20th a committee was ap- 
pointed to oversee the removal of the desks and benches to 
the new building and it was reported done at the next meet- 



50 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

ing. Meantime appeared on October 24th and several times 
thereafter in the daily press: 

Notice. 

The temporary Model School for boys, which has been in 
operation for six months, at No. 48 South Fifth Street, is to 
be closed this day, the term for which the Lease was engaegd 
having expired. The new building on Chester street will be 
ready for the reception of pupils of both sexes in about a 
month from this time. The services of Joseph Lancaster hav- 
ing been engaged to organize those schools, it is important 
that requests for admission into them, be made during the va- 
cation. Apply at No. 249, Callowhill street, above Twelfth 
street. 

By order of the Controllers of the Public Schools. 

Roberts Vaux, President. 
10th Mo. 24. 

There was some delay in getting into the new building 
due to the fault of the carpenter engaged in fitting it up. It 
was nearly two months before notice was given that the schooi 
would open, on December 21st (6:12-18-1818) but in the in- 
tervening time Lancaster had entered upon his work which 
dated from November 25th (22:11-26-1818), on which dato 
appeared a notice in the daily papers directing applicants for 
admission into the Model School to see him at his residence 
On November 19th, a few days prior to Lancaster's actual en- 
gagement, a committee had been appointed to confer vnth 
him "on the subject of lessons etc. in his possession and con- 
sider whether any, and, if any what part thereof may be used 
in the ]\Iodel School." At the meeting one week later Lancas- 
ter was granted an advance of two months' salary, although 
the Board was not a unit on it (22). 

The new Model School building was the first erected by 
the Board of Controllers in the city of Philadelphia and is 
therefore the oldest public school building in the city (36:17). 
Edmonds says that it was also the first school for the tramiug 
of teachers in the United States which is probably true in the 
sense that it was the first building erected for that specific 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 51 

purpose, yet it must be remembered that every Lancaster] an 
school was a monitorial teacher-training school, and New York 
had erected a new Lancasterian school building as early as 
1809 (35:13). 

On December thirty-first a committee was appointed to 
confer with Lancaster relative to the opening and organizing 
of a Girl's School with his daughter as his assistant but they 
were not able to reach an agreement with him (22). On the 
seventh of January" another committee was appointed for the 
same purpose and was more successful. The report was that, 
they had conversed with Lancaster on the subject and he had 
proposed 

1. To open and organize the female school, and estab- 
lish the teacher thereof, including the instruction of 

female teachers for the sectional schools in the same 
way as the masters. 

2. To visit and superintend the sectional schools after 
the teachers have been instructed in the Model School. 

3. To receive a compensation of Five Hundred Dollars. 
The Board agreed to contract with him on these terms, 

and on February 11th, the first half of the five hundred dol- 
lars was paid him (22). 

The next reference to Lancaster on the Minutes is a re- 
port by the President of the Board on February 11, 1819, that 
Joseph Lancaster had returned to the city on the eighth in- 
stant and resumed his duties in the Model Schools. 

We are left to conjecture the reason for his absence, but 
it is clear that he spent part of the time in Washington, for 
he himself tells us that "on proceeding to Congress after his 
first lecture and before his second, from the speaker's chair a 
letter was put into his hands by the sergeant-at-arms, of Avhich 
the following is a copy: — 

'In the House of Representatives of the United States, 
January 26, 1819, — on the motion of Mr. Bassett, Resolved, 
That Joseph Lancaster, the friend of learning and of man, he 
admitted to a seat within the hall of the House of Representa- 
tives.' " 

A copy Attest, Thomas Dougherty, Clerk of the House of 
Representatives (15:11). 



52 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

On March 4th the following rules and Regulations among 
others were adopted by the Board : — 

8th. In order to promote uniformity and comply with the re- 
quisition of the act of assembly, all sectional teachers are re- 
quired to organize and conduct their schools upon the plan ex- 
hibited in the model schools : and no teacher can be permitted 
to substitute an}- method essentially different therefroni. 
9th. Every sectional teacher is to be instructed in the prin- 
ciples and operation of the Lancasterian System of educa'""oii 
by attendance at the model school ; to be admitted by an order 
from the Board of Control. 

nth. Inasmuch as corporal punishment has a tendency to 
degrade the mind, excite wrathful passions, and seldom se- 
cures respect and cheerful obedience, it should never be resort- 
ed to but in cases where obedience cannot otherwise be com- 
inanded; and when inflicted, discretion and moderation should 
be observed. 

On March 11th the President was directed to inquire of 
Jjancaster what day he would be ready to receive the section- 
al teachers, and on March 18th appears this record on the 
min\ites : "tiesolved, that Roberts Vaux, Joseph Reed and 
Thomas Stewardson be a committee to make tbe necessary ar- 
rnagtMiient with Joseph Lancaster for the immediate introduc- 
tion of !<ectioiial teachers into the model schools for instruc- 
tion in the s^^stem. Resolved, that the same committee attend 
with the sectional teachers at the Model School. Resolved 
that copies of these resolutions be communicated to Joseph 
Lancaster." Thus the Board planned to utilize Lancaster 
while they had him engaged, for the purpose for which he 
was engaged. 

Wickersham states that Lancaster remained in Philadel- 
phia in the employ of the Board of Controllers "for several 
j^ears" (42:285) and Edmonds (36:18) implies the same thing 
inasmuch as he says "In 1823 Lancaster left left Philadelphia 
and went to South America," evidently quoting Wickersham 
who also says that Lancaster went to South America in 1823 
(42:285). But both writers have overlooked the fact that it 
was from Baltimore and not from Philadelphia that Lancas- 
ter went to South America (15:35). In fact there is not a 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 53 

doubt that he was in Baltimore at least three years before 
the South American invitation first came to him in 1824 
(15:35), for in 1821 he put forth an edition of his book in 
Baltimore (18) in which he states that he has decided to settle 
there and found a Lancasterian Institute (18:XI). Further 
more there is no record that he served the Board of Controll- 
ers more than six months. There is in fact very striking evi- 
dence that he did not do so. This item occurs on the minutes 
of March 18, 1819: "Joseph Lancaster having requested to be 
informed whether this board will desire his services after the 
24th, May, the period at which his engagement terminates with 
the Controllers, — Be it resolved that the Board consider that 
from and after the 24tli May next ensuing the further ser- 
vices of Joseph Lancaster will not be necessary." 

Again there is an entry on the minutes under date of 
March 25, 1819 of a resolution to pay Joseph Lancaster for 
services as teacher of the Boys' Model School in full to the 
twenty-fifth of May next, — $240, and the balance for organ- 
izing the Girls' school to the same period $250. The same day 
John Ely of the Adelphi School was elected principal of the 
Boys' Model School, and on May 27th it is reported that he 
has taken charge (22). On this day (May 27th) occurred an 
interesting incident Avhich is further conclusive as to Lancas- 
ter's tenure of office. The Girls' Model School was without 
a teacher through illness, and it is recorded that "Joseph Lan- 
caster offers his services for ten or twelve days in conjunction 
with such female teacher as the Board of Controllers may ap- 
prove of." In consequence the Board "Resolved that Eliza 
Eastburn be for the present entrusted with the care of the 
Model School for Girls with such gratuitous aid as Joseph 
Lancaster can furnish until otherwise directed and that the 
president of the Board make communication of this order to 
Joseph Lancaster." After this action had been taken, Mr. 
Ferguson, Avho had been absent, came in and was reported 
present. Before the meeting closed he presented the follow- 
ing protest: "Whereas the term which Joseph Lancaster was 
employed as a model teacher expired on the 24th instant and 
whereas Joseph Lancaster has expressed a wish to remain in 
said school for some time : a majority of the Board have agreed 



54 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

to accept his services and I was not present when said resolu- 
tion Avas passed. I therefore am under the disagreeable necessi- 
ty of protesting against Joseph Lancaster's being employed 
any longer either for pay or to do it gratutitously and I do 
most solemnly protest against the foregoing resolution. 

E. Ferguson. 
May 27, 1819. 

There is no further reference to Lancaster on the Minutes 
of the Board for fifteen years; then he was back in Philadel- 
phia for a short time, after having been in Baltimore, South 
America, Canada, New England, and elsewhere (15). As a 
cause for his comparatively short stay in Philadelphia as mod- 
el teacher Salmon states that there was constant intercourse 
between the Quakers of the old world and of the new, and 
quotes Dunn as saying that "rumors of debt and of discredit- 
able pecuniary transaction in England soon followed him" 
(38:59), all of which is very probable. Furthermore, he 
seems not to have attained the highest success with the teach- 
ers under his instruction, for on June third the Board passed 
a resolution "That the teachers of the Model School be and 
are hereby directed to pursue impilicity the mode of instruc- 
tion directed by law in the said schools and in a knowledge 
of which they have been instructed by Joseph Lancaster. Or- 
dered that the Secretary be requested to furnish John Ely and 
Elizabeth Eastburn with the above resolve." 

In Lancaster's reference to Philadelphia after he was in 
Baltimore, he commends very highly Thomas Scattergood and 
Roberts Vaux, then President of the Board of Controllers. 
He refers to Vaux as a disciple of Scattergood and an orna- 
ment to the city and his country, but laments the fact that he 
(Vaux) has not had more followers of Scattergood to record 
his patriotic endeavors, else "education would now have been 
in a different state in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania." He ad- 
mits that much good is done, though not one half of what 
might have been effected with "agents fit to carry the design 
into execution" and "committeemen whose souls, like Scatter- 
good, Vaux and some others, have been devoted to their duty 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 55 

with a determination to exercise the zeal of patriots — and act 
as persons having the eyes of men" (18:XV). 

Notwithstanding this lament, the Controllers continued to 
report excellent things of the schools and to say good words 
for the system ; although the failure of the people to take ad- 
vantage of the opportunities offered, is a constant cause of re- 
gret and complaint. The one thing urged always as a recom- 
mendation of the system is its great economy of expense. In 
the first Report of the Controllers issued in 1819 it is pointed 
out that the cost of educating each child is $3.57 — a saving of 
$7.43 over the old system. It is even prophesied that ultimate- 
ly the public will be at no expense at all save for the first cost 
of buildings, since but few parents would need to be excused 
from payment of so trifling a sum. 

On March 2nd, 1820 came the first request looking toward 
the establishment of colored schools. It emanated from a Com- 
mittee of the Abolition Society and the Controllers appointed 
a committee of one member from each section to confer with 
this Committee relative to the matter. The report of the Board 
Committee, rendered March 16th, stated that the application 
should be made in the first instance to the sectional board 
where it was desired to establish such schools (22). The 
Minutes of the First Section shoAv that a few months later, 
July 11, 1820, the Abolition Society requested a conference 
with a committee of the Directors of that section which was 
granted. This Committee on the thirtieth of the next January 
reported that the Abolition Society was willing to donate the 
use of a school house of two rooms on Clarkson Street for the 
purposes of a colored school (21:67). The very first action 
on this matter either on the part of the Controllers or of any 
sectional board seems to liave been taken by this board of the 
first section at its own option w^hen it appointed Rev. P. F. 
Mayer, Joseph Reed and R. C. Wood a Committee on Dec. 3rd, 
1818 "to enquire into the legality and expediencj^ of provid- 
ing for the free education of poor persons of color in the prin- 
ciples of the Lancasterian system (21:12). 

On May 29, 1821 the Controllers in reply to a communica- 
tion from the Directors of the First Section said that "it is 



56 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

inexpedient to make any appropriation for the education of 
children of colour that would operate in a partial manner 
only." They also passed a resolution directing the different 
assessors to report to the Board of Controllers the number of 
colored children in their respective wards and districts — boys 
between the ages of six and fourteen and girls between the 
ages of five and thirteen (21:79). On April 30, 1822 the Di- 
rectors "Resolved that in the opinion of this Board it is expe- 
dient that a school or schools for the free instruction of the 
children of indigent coloured people should be established in 
this section as soon as it is practicable, and that a committee 
to consist of five members be appointed to make application 
to the Board of Controllers for an appropriation of the means 
necessary to carry the same into effect" (21:112). On July 
9, 1822, the Controllers decided to appropriate $1200 for a 
colored school in the first section, which was the amount the 
directors had asked for in February 1821 (22). After this ap- 
propriation the Directors decided on July 31st, 1822, to fit up 
the old Presbyterian meeting-house on Mary Street for a col- 
ored Lancasterian school. They elected Henry A. Cooper, who 
had had charge of a similar school in Burlington, New Jersey, 
to be the teacher and opened on September 6, 1822, with 199 
pupils (21:122-27). The reports from the colored school were 
uniformly of commendable intellectual progress and good de- 
portment, as the Annual Reports of the Controllers will attest. 

About three years after this, on December 7, 1825. the Con- 
trollers received a communication from the Directors of the 
first section embodying a resolution "That it is the opinion 
of this board that it is expedient to establish a Lancasterian 
School for female coloured children." The response was a 
resolution of the Controllers "That this board do hereby de- 
termine upon and authorize the establishment in the first sec- 
tion of a Lancasterian School for female coloured children, 
and will furnish the directors of that section according to 
their request, with six hundred dollars for the purpose of 
carrying on said school." 

On March 23, 1836, a Lancasterian colored school was 
authorized in the second section. 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 57 

From a report of the visiting committee to the Model 
school, rendered April 6, 1820, nearly a year after Lancaster's 
withdrawal we may get a glimpse of this institution's actual 
working within its narrow curriculum. "On the morning of 
our appointment two of the committe visited John Ely's 
school, and found the room well swept and clean, the Boys 
were there about the appointed hour, the few who were late 
by way of punishment, were to be school sweepers — After the 
Boys had written on their slates we examined them, many 
Avords were incorrectly spelt on several of the slates in all 
the classes who wrote words. They were examined in the 
multiplication table, and although some were able to repeat 
it, many were not — we then heard the first classes read and 
spell in Books which they had not before used; their reading 
was better than we had expected and we are of the opinion 
their spelling was equal to any boys we have ever examined — 
The school was nearly full, and upon the whole we found more 
improvement than we had looked for — We privately spoke to 
the Teacher to endeavor to get his Monitors to perform their 
duties with greater care and attention. 

Thomas Stewardson for 
himself & James Ronaldson." 
Phiia. 4 mo. 6, 1820 

In June 1821 a committee was appointed to inquire into 
the case of a boy who had been severely whipped in the Model 
School. The teacher reported that the boy had been obstinate 
under punishment, but that the teacher did not know of the 
severe injury else he would not have inflicted it. The result 
was a resolution recorded July 2nd to the effect that "corporal 
punishment be forbidden in the Model Schools, unless in 
cases deemed indispensably necessarj^, and then it shall be in- 
flicted with moderation." This incident may account in part 
for the fact that on October first the Secretary was directed 
to notify John Ely that his services would not be needed after 
January 1, 1822. At any rate on November 5th J. L. Rliees 
was elected to succeed him, and ordered to attend for one 
month previous to January first the Lombard Street School 



58 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

"for the purpose of acquiring a correct knowledge of the Lan- 
casterian system." He was also informed "that the manual 
published by the British and Foreign School Society is the 
guide for the Model School." 

The failure of parents of poor children to avail themselves 
of the school privileges caused the Board on July 3, 1820 to 
resolve to prepare an address to the parents upon the subject 
which it was later decided should be published in the news- 
papers. This was but the first of a number of similar address- 
es issued for the same reason. But the fame of the Philadel- 
phia schools was abroad already in the state and in his mes- 
sage to the Legislature in 1821, Governor Joseph Heister gives 
high praise to the school system and the school sentiment of 
Philadelphia. lie says: "For the establishment of schools in 
which the terms of tuition are greatly reduced, and in which 
those who are not able to meet the expenses are taught gratui- 
tously, the citizens of Philadelphia stand pre-eminent. Their 
schools, established under different acts of Assembly, on the 
Lancasterian system of education, are, at this time, preparing 
for future usefulness five thousand three hundred and sixty- 
nine scholars, m.any of whom would otherwise be permitted to 
grow up in ignorance, and become a prey to those vices, of 
which is unfortunately is so fruitful a source. 

"From the great success attending the introduction of 
the Lancasterian system of education in the First School Dis- 
trict, embracing the city and county of Philadelphia, and the 
representations made to me of its being equally successful in 
some of our sister states, I think it worth the experiment be- 
ing attempted in other sections of the state as far as it can be 
adapted to the peculiarities of their respective situation and 
circumstances" (25(a) :287). 

That other sections of the state were planning to follow 
the lead of Philadelphia is shown in the Third Annual Report 
of the Controllers under date of February 15, 1821, where it 
is said that the Board has learned with much satisfaction that 
at Harrisburg and Pittsburg schools were about to be estab- 
lished for indigent children upon a plan similar to that in 
Philadelphia. Accordingly the Controllers call attention to 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 59 

the fact that the law under which they operate provides that 
persons from all parts of the state who are to teach in such 
schools shall be instructed free of charge in the principles and 
conduct of the Lancasterian system, and they invite intending 
teachers to avail themselves of the privilege (4:3). 

The establishment of a school upon the Lancasterian plan 
in the city of Lancaster is noted with great pleasure in the 
fifth report issued February 13, 1823, because the teacher had 
been trained in the Philadelphia Model School (4:5). There 
is a record on the Minutes of October 7, 1822, to the effect that 
Alexander Varion had been sent by the Directors of the Public 
Schools of Lancaster County to acquire a knowledge of the 
system and that he had been admitted into the Model School, 
lie is doubtless the teacher referred to. 

The increase of manufactories employing young people 
and the consequent decrease in school attendance caused a 
suggestion in the Fourth Report issued in February, 1822, 
which is probably the first suggestion in the state of both com- 
pulsory attendance and a child labor law: "Without wishing 
to interfere wnth subjects not perfectly within the sphere of 
its office, the Board would suggest the propriety of adopting 
such legal restraints as should prevent the employment of chil- 
dren in manufactories until they shall have had an opportuni- 
ty to obtain the rudiments of education in the Public Schools, 
or require the proprietors of all establishments of the kind al- 
luded to, to furnish moral and scholastic instruction to the 
children engaged in these departments of industry" (4:4). 

In the sixth Report it is remarked that the perfection of 
the plan of mutual instruction materially depends upon a 
qualification for government in those who conduct such estab- 
lishments; by this however, it is not intended to commend 
harsh measures of discipline to which the system is rather 
averse (4:6). 

Mention is made in the next report of the fact that the 
Board had applied to the Legislature for permission to make 
for the poor children residing along the whole of the city west 
of Broad street such provision as is made for the children of 
other similar sections, owing to their distance from the Lan- 



60 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

casterian schools and "other unfavorable circumstances" 
(4:7). The memorial to the Legislature which is spread on 
the minutes of January 11, 1825, recites that "there is a con- 
siderable portion of the western quarter of the city in which 
a number of poor children reside who are too distant from the 
public schools to be there taught. By the existing laws your 
memorialists have no power to determine upon the establish- 
ment of any schools except on the Lancasterian system, and 
the population of the district before referred to is not suffi- 
ciently dense to justify the establishment there of such a 
school." Then follows a request that the directors be permit- 
ted to send the children to other schools in the neighborhood. 

There seems to be continuous reason for complaints of par- 
ents who permit their children to run the streets instead of 
sending them to school, and legislative action is urged for this 
as for the evils of child labor (4:7-8). In the eighth Report a 
comparison is made between the cost of educating the children 
of the Lancasterian schools and those of the country schools 
under the care of the Board. While the cost of each child in 
the latter school averages $9.45, the average cost of the former 
is still less than $4.00, which is said to be "a powerful argu- 
ment in favor of the system of mutual instruction, and with 
other advantages may induce the directors of the country 
sections to establish Lancasterian schools in their parts of the 
country where the population is dense" (4:8). 

Nevertheless everything does not seem to have gone 
smoothly with the system. The teachers themselves do not ap- 
pear to have been whole-heartedly for it, as is evidenced by 
such records as that of December 6, 1823 when it is "Resolved, 
That a committee be appointed to consider and report what 
measures may be proper to adopt to secure a more vigorous 
administration of the Lancasterian system in this district." 
The committee appointed was John Wurts, Jacob Justice and 
Andrew Hooton. About two years later, October 12, 1825, 
J. L. Rhees of the Model School sent a communication to the 
Board containing suggestions of improvements in the Lancas- 
terian system. It was "received, read, and referred to the 
Visiting Committee for the current month." Exactly a year 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 61 

later, October 11, 1826, Rhees asks for an increase of salary 
and for permanent monitors. To grant the latter would of 
course mean to confess the failure of the system. The matter 
was referred to a committee consisting of Messrs. Dunlap, 
Richards and Justice. Their report rendered December 20, 
1826 states that "Their investigation has resulted in a convic- 
tion that the present arrangement and mode of conducting the 
Lancasterian school specially entrusted to this board [the 
Model School], is susceptible of great improvement. The ob- 
jection to that part of its administration now confided to moni- 
tors taken from the body of the school, is of long standing, and 
ia confirmed by the observation of almost all of those engaged 
in its superintendance, and your committee is fully satisfied 
that a school of 300 pupils, which depends solely on its own 
classes for monitors, cannot attain to that ample and efficient 
usefulness of which this admirable system is capable. The 
tender age, intimate association, sameness of pursuits and 
pastimes, and perfect equality out of doors, all unite to deprive 
these childish tutors of that influence and authority in school 
which is requisite for the maintenance of discipline, and a pro- 
per attention to the routine of instruction. The teacher is 
thus left with an enormous school upon his hands, and often 
finds his labours rather augumented than diminished by the 
pretended assistance of these boyish adjuncts. Exceptions 
sometimes occur and valuable monitors are found in the class- 
es, but their manifest superiority and brief continuance in the 
school furnish very strong arguments in favour of the plan 
presented by your teacher, viz; that of engaging permanent 
monitors of an age somewhat above that of the majority of 
the pupils, and by proper inducements securing their con- 
tinuance in the employment for a certain term. Your commit- 
tee believes that this may be attained at a very moderate ex- 
pense to the Board, and with decided advantage to the school. 
Several plans have been suggested, but the Committee prefer 
the following: to engage namely, four boys of about the age of 
fifteen, who shall enter into an agreement to remain three 
years, and perform the duties of general monitors in the Model 
School during that period. As a powerful inducement and as 



62 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

a compensation for their services, it is proposed to offer them 
the advantage of an education at the High School of the Frank- 
lin Institute during this term of three years, and to furnish 
them with a suit of clothes or a moderate sum of money per 
annum. The teacher of the Model School expresses a belief, 
in which this committee concurs, that two monitors of this 
description on duty in the school, in addition to the present 
class monitors, would be sufficient to secure perfect order and 
attention, and to maintain strict discipline, thus allowing 
them to attend the school of the institute in alternate weeks. 
The expense of that school where this board would only be 
charged with two pupils, would be : 

Tuition — per annum $56.00 

Books for their studies there, about 10.00 
Clothes or money about $25 each 100.00 



Total cost to the Board of four monitors $166.00 

"Monitors thus engaged and secured to the Board, it is 
believed would contribute in an extraordinary degree to the 
improvement and usefulness of the school. They would hold 
a standing detached from and superior to the mass of the pu- 
pils, — consequently would possess a superior degree of authori- 
ty over them; the tenure of their office would depend upon 
their faithful discharge of its duties ; — The compensation would 
offer a sufficient inducement for zeal and activity; their long 
continuance would beget perfect familiarity with the system, 
and whilst it enhanced the utility of our school as a seminary 
for Lancasterian teachers, would hold out strong encourage- 
ment to the sub-monitors of our school to accomplish them- 
selves for their situation and thus gain admission to a higher 
course of education. These are some of the considerations 
which have led your committee to their present conculsion, 
and upon which they recommend it to the Board. 

"The committee respectfully recommend the adoption of 
the following Resolution : 

"That a committee be appointed with authority to enter 
into arrangements, to engage four monitors for the Bovs de 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 63 

partment of the Model School upon the plan and terms con- 
tained in the foregoing report. 

T. Dunlap ] 

Philadelphia, Dec. 20, 1826. B. W. Richards [ Committee. 

Jacob Justice J 

This resolution after some consideration was laid on the 
table, but on January 9, 1827, the Report and Resolution were 
adopted and the same Committee appointed to engage the four 
permanent monitors. Thus under the guise of a recognition 
of the system, the fundamental principle of monitorial instruc- 
tion was really undermined. 

About a month after this, on February 22nd, the ninth An- 
nual Report was issued, which is the first one to mention a 
possible defect in the system as such, although the minutes 
have revealed to us the growing conviction that the adopted 
plan of education had deficiencies which its sponsors were re- 
luctant to admit. The report alluded to says that the Board 
has bestowed much thought upon the subject of improving the 
schools of mutual instruction. It was doubtless written by Mr. 
Vaux who was a sincere champion of the system to the last, 
and v.liile of necessity admitting some shortcoming, the report 
appears to minimize it saying, "The principal defect appeared 
to be the incompetency of monitors for the higher classes; the 
pupils who were qualified for these stations after having reach- 
ed the ultimate point of instruction prepared to be given, and 
no longer deriving advantage were withdrawn from the 
schools, thereby leaving them without suitable qualified assis- 
tants" (4:9). It is stated however that a plan is being tested 
in the Model School to remedy this defect. In the next Report 
it is explained that this experiment, which involved furnishing 
several permanent monitors better educated than those usual- 
ly employed in that service, has been amply made and is 
recommended to the attention of the respective sections. It is 
further said that the credit for the improvement belongs to 
William Augustus Muhlenberg, a director of the school at Lan- 
caster, Penna., who had introduced it there (4:10). This Re- 
port, the Tenth, also calls attention to the fact that during the 
preceding year the Principal of the Model School had prepared 



64 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

a short but comprehensive Manual of the Laneasterian sys- 
tem which had been printed by the Board for the schools of 
the district and could be furnished very cheaply for use in 
other parts of the state (22:9-11-1827). 

The use of the permanent monitors was not long allowed 
to go unchallenged by the conservative advocates of the Lan- 
easterian plan. On August 11, 1829 it was "Resolved, That 
the expediency of continuing the present system of permanent 
monitors be referred to a committee to consider and report 
thereon," and on March 9, 1830 it was "Resolved, That the 
system of Permanent monitors in the Model School, and such 
other schools as may have employed them, be discontinued; 
and that the Secretary give three months notice hereof to the 
persons employed as such in said schools ; ' ' but the Secretary 
was directed not to give said notice until after the next stated 
meeting of the Board. On April 13th came a remonstrance 
against discontinuing the tutor in the Model School, from J. 
L. Rhees, the principal. This was laid on the table and the 
Secretary directed to continue to withold the notice. This 
remonstrance seems to have been effective until May 10, 1831, 
when it was decided to make no further allowance for any as- 
sistant teacher in the Model School. Meantime a request had 
come from the first section on April 12, 1831, recommending 
to the Controllers an appropriation of One Hundred Dollars 
for the salary of one assistant or monitor in each of several 
schools. The directors were referred to a resolution of the 
Board passed December 14, 1830 to the effect that no allowance 
be made for any assistant teacher except when both sexes are 
taught by the male teacher, and the request was accordingly 
not granted. 

One of the features of the Laneasterian method as devised 
by its author was an elaborate system of rewards in the shape 
of tickets and prizes (38:11). These were not overlooked in 
the Philadelphia Public schools. On May 13, 1819 Joseph Lan- 
caster had addressed a communication to Roberts Vaux upon 
the subject of "Library Rules," "Rewards" and "Medals." 
It was read and a copy of it requested for the use of the Board. 
At this meeting too, a resolution was passed "that the amount 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 65 

of premiums do not exceed the rate of Ten Dollars a year to 
the hundred children that actually attend the schools." On 
June 16, 1820 the Directors of the first section appointed a 
''premium committee" (21:51). There is a record on Decem- 
ber 27, 1821 of an appropriation by the Controllers for 1000 
sheets of merit tickets and on January 8, 1828 occurs the item 
that the committee on merit tickets had had printed 1000 sheets 
of red and white. This is followed by a resolution on March 11th 
"That no Ticket shall be used in any of the public schools of 
the first district in future, in payment of services in the school, 
or for any other cause than good deportment and superior im- 
provement in school, and that the children entitled to pre- 
miums by the possession of the requisite number of Tickets, 
shall not receive the same Unless they shall be able to report 
the mottoes on the tickets." On June 4, 1836 premium money 
was abolished by resolution of the Controllers. 

The Lancasterian schools everywhere were usually in- 
tensely practical in tendency and this manifested itself in the 
female schools in needlework. Just four days before the ter- 
mination of his engagement Joseph Lancaster had addressed a 
communication on this subject to the President of the Board 
of Control (22:5-20-1819). Another industrial feature of the 
Philadelphia schools is revealed by a minute of January 10, 
1826, where it is stated that $50.00 shall be appropriated for 
plaiting straw, in the first section. This was really in response 
to a request from the directors of that section a year before 
(Jan. 11, 1825) who had at that time recommended "the intro- 
duction into the female school in Lombard Street the braiding 
of straw for the benefit of such children as may obtain the con- 
sent of their parents to learn the same" (22). On February 
24, 1827, the same sum was again given for straw plaiting to 
the first section and also to the third and fourth. 

About the year 1827 the subject of Infant Schools began 
to be agitated in Philadelphia and at Harrisburg, and the Leg- 
islature had requested the Controllers to report a plan for the 
organization and support of such schools. The Committee of 
the Board to whom the matter was referred reported on De- 
cember 26, 1827 that "upon full consideration they are unani- 



66 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

mously of the opinion that no plan can be digested for the an- 
nexing of such schools to the present Lancasterian schools 
without great inconvenience and probable injury to the exist- 
ing system." They therefore submitted the following Resolu- 
tion which was adopted: "That it is the opinion of the board 
of Controllers of the Public Schools for the City and County 
of Philadelphia that no plan can be suggested for connecting 
"Infant Schools" with the present system of public schools 
without inconvenience and injury to the latter, and that the 
increased expense would not be justified by any probable ad- 
vantage accruing to children under five and six years of age, 
at which period they are entitled to admission into the exist- 
ing schools. 

Resolved that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to 
each branch of the legislature now in session, accompanied by 
a notice from the President of the Infant School Society al- 
ready instituted." The committee was Roberts Vaux, B. W. 
Richards, T. Dunlap. It is not strange that they could not 
graft the Pestalozzian Infant schools on to the Lancasterian 
Schools "vv'ithout injury to the latter," especially when ex- 
pense, not the child, was a primary consideration. But the In- 
fant School advocates were not willing to let the matter drop 
thus, and succeeded in having an act passed by the Legislature 
on the 14th of April 1828 establishing Infant Schools, which 
act was the basis of a resolution offered by Mr. Richards on 
September 9th, "That it is expedient for the Controllers of 
Public Schools to provide for the establishment of Infant 
Schools under the act of Assembly passed the 14th day of 
April, 1828. The whole matter was however postponed again 
and again, until on Decemebr 8, 1829, the Committee on Infant 
Schools, having been continued from time to time because of 
the serious consideration needed in reporting upon a subject 
"involving a very important change in the existing system," 
finall}'- reported their belief "that the system of infant schools 
may be engrafted on the present plan of public education with 
great advantage to the community" and submitted a resolu- 
tion for the establishment of such schools for children under 
five years of age. This Committee was Thomas Dunlap, 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS ON PHILADELPHIA 67 

John L. Woolf, and John Warner. Their report was unani- 
mously adopted and ordered published in the newspapers. It 
is probable that the committee owed something to Rev. M. 2^1. 
Carli who as early as September 9, 1828 had written the Board 
relative to a plan to "connect Infant Schools w^ith the schools 
now in operation." In fact the minutes show that his was the 
plan ultimately adopted in 1832 (22). It does not appear how- 
ever from the Minutes that infant schools were opened by the 
Board before 1832, when it is noted on November 13th that 
the Infant Model School opened on the first, and is filled. 

"The Society for the Promotion of Public Schools" form- 
ed in 1827 in Philadelphia with branches throughout the state 
to promote "Education throughout the State; by encouraging 
the establishment of public schools in which the elementary 
branches of education shall be taught in the respective coun- 
ties," had a membership of 250 soon after its organization and 
conducted a wide correspondence not only with its own mem- 
bers but with other influential citizens in every district of the 
state (32:1:297). 

On April 12, 1828, a committee of this Society consisting 
of Roberts Vaux, John Wurts, William B. Davidson and 
George W. Smith made a report to this society on the "State 
of Education in Pennsylvania" in which it was pointed out 
that the inherent defect of the then la\v was that it compelled 
parents to wear the badge of pauperism if they availed them- 
selves of its provisions (12) which many deserving ones would 
not do. The report also sets forth that the Legislature has 
refused to furnish a system of common elementary schooh 
despite the intent of the Constitution, as well as petitions and 
messages of the Governors. 

There can be no doubt that this Committee of which Mr. 
Vaux v/as chairman had discovered the inherent defect in the 
law which a similar committee of which he had also been 
chairman had been instrumental in passing (Chapter V). The 
former Committee had expected so many benefits to flow from 
the legal adoption of Lancaster's system that it had doubtless 
put too little emphasis upon making the schools what they 
knew they should be — public schools, not for the poor, but 



68 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

for all children. But such had not been the legal provision, 
and the Lancasterian system, whatever its inherent shortcom- 
ings, had to bear the odium of being a pauper system, and 
was doubtless therefore blamed for failures not its own. 

"^It was not until the legislative session of 1833-34 that the 
Society for the Promotion of Public Schools succeeded in hav- 
ing the above-mentioned legislative defect remedied and then 
the Lancasterian system had too short a lease of life to show 
what it could do when freed from the trammels of a pauper 
law. It is not likely however that it could have vindicated 
itself, for it was born of poverty and poverty was ever its best 
excuse for being. 

On May 12, 1829, a communication was received by the 
Controllers from the directors of the sixth section embodying 
the report of a committee of themselves which had been ap- 
pointed to establish a Lancasterian school "as near the center 
of Germantown as possible." This committee had rented the 
building on Bristol Lane formerly occupied by the Methodists 
as a meeting house and appointed "Francis W. Bockius (who 
brought us a certificate of being duly qualified, from J. L. 
Rhees, Principal of the Model School) as our teacher at a 
salary of $500, for one year, he to be at the expense of furnish- 
ing a female teacher to instruct the girls in needle work, etc. 
such as shall be approved by us." 

Reuben Haines ] 

Joseph Bockius J Committee 

The Directors accepted the action of their committee and 
asked approbation of the Board of Control which was given 
in a resolution passed May 12th. It was further "Resolved, 
That the sixth section be furnished with such school books 
and other articles now on hand, as may be necessary towards 
establishing the new school in Germantown." 

The Germantown school had been in operation about sev- 
en years when on April 12, 1836, the directors of the sixth sec- 
tion again sent to the Board of Control a resolution which 
they had passed on April 5th at the house of Benjamin Shroy- 
er: "Resolved that in consequence of the increasing dissatis- 
faction of the citizens, and the difficulty of obtaining at any 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 69 

particular point a sufficient number of scholars to fill a Lan- 
casterian school, this Board is unanimously of the opinion 
that the school in the village of Germantown should be abolish- 
ed forthwith and that the controller of this district be and he 
is directed to urge upon the Board of Control the propriety of 
its immediate abolishment." 

W. II. Stokes, Sec'y. 

The result of this was the adoption of a motion ' ' That this 
Board concur with the Directors of the sixth section and that 
the school on the Lancasterian system at Germantown be 
closed on the 7th May ensuing." * 

Just exactly three months before the Board ordered the 
discontinuance of the Germantown School, or January I'J, 
1836, it authorized the same Board of Directors to estahi'sh a 
Lancasterian school at Manayunk. On October 14, 1833. the 
Directors had asked for such a school there and on December 
10th a committee made a favorable report upon the request, 
but no action seems to have been taken. Later, on April 7, 
1835, the Sectional Board had "Resolved that it is inexpedient 
immediately to establish a Lancasterian school at Manayunk" 
(19), but on January 12, 1836, a committee of 'the Board ap- 
pointed to confer with the Directors of the sixth section made 
report that "having made the necessarj' investigation thoy are 
satisfied that the establishment of a Lancasterian School at 
Manayunk will materially advance the interest of poor chiid- 



•NOTE: IN the Germantown Independent-Gazette of March 15 1907, Is 
an article on the Germantown Lancasterian School by Mr. J. H. Bockius 
a grandson of Francis Bockius, the first and only teacher of this school, 
whose father Joseph Bockius was the first controller from Germantown 
to be seated in the Board of Control. Mr. Bockius states that when the 
Germantown School was opened the sixth section became entitled to a 
controller, but the law granting this privilege was not passed until 1831 
(1). Reuben Haines was elected July 4, 1831, by the Board of Directors, 
but having deceased, Joseph Bockius was elected on November 28, 1831 (19). 
Mr. Bockius has in his possession the original roll-book of this Ger- 
mantown School which, through his kindness, I was privileged to see. 
The title page and some later pages are missing. The list of names giv- 
en cover the period from 1829 to 1832. In different columns are given the 
name, number, tim.e of entry, and time and reason for leaving, of each pu- 
pil enrolled. The earliest enrollment I noted was June 22, 1829, although 
the section minutes state that the school was opened June 8th, when 16 
boys were present and examined, while the girls were put off two weeks 
longer. A transcript of the old roll appeared in the above paper March 
22, 1907. 



70 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

ren in that vicinity and at the same time promote economy in 
the public expenditures ; they, therefore, recommend the fol- 
lowing resolution for the adoption of the Board: 

Resolved, That the Directors of the sixth section be auth- 
orized to make the necessary arrangements for the establis!'. - 
ment of a Lancasterian school at INIanayunk. provided the an- 
nual expenses of the same shall not exceed seven hundred dol- 
lars. ' ' 

Morton McMiehael ] 

Geo. M. Wharton J Committee 

The Sectional Board* Minutes record the reception of this com- 
munication on April 18th, at which time the consideration of 
the matter was postponed until June 6th and then laid on the 
table (19). The cause of this lack of enthusiasm does not ap- 
pear from the minutes but it may have resided partly in the 
financial proviso of the permission. There is no further record 
to show that the school was ever established. 

In the Eleventh Annual Report of the Board of Controll- 
ers issued on February 25, 1829, occurs the general statement 
that several persons of both sexes have acquired a knowledge 
of the Lancasterian system by attending the Model and other 
schools, and are now candidates for employment in Pennsyl- 
vania, "in many of the interior counties of which an increased 
degree of attention has lately been manifested for providing 
the m.eans of elementary instruction." In the minutes of the 
following year we find something more specific on this point. 
May 11, 1830, it is "Resolved, That the teacher of the male de- 
partment of the Model School be requested to report by the 
next stated meeting of this board the number of persons who 
have attended at the Model School during the last two years. 
Avith a view to obtain instruction as Teachers on the Lancas- 
terian system." The reply is spread upon the minutes of June 
8th though dated the 1st. "Gentlemen: In answer to the reso- 
lution of your last meeting I beg respectfully to report that 
since January 1, 1828. twenty-eight gentlemen have had their 
names entered to obtain a knowledge of the system; some of 
whom are successful teachers in this and other places at the 
present time. Some of them have not yet been able to devote suffi- 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 71 

cient time and attention to the subject, but express an anxiety 
to do so as soon as possible ; and to their calls we are liable 
every day; others have obtained certificates and are waiting 
for situations. Of the number above named 8 were entered in 
1828, 13 in 1829 and 7 up to this date in the present year. In 
the six years preceding 1828. eleven were entered, making in 

the whole 39. 

J. L. Rhees. 

On December 19, 1831, Roberts Vaux resigned from the 
Board of Controllers, having been in continuous service as its 
President since the organization in 1818 (4:14). His early 
knowledge of the Lancasterian system in which he was first 
interested by Thomas Scattergood, and his unwavering ad- 
vocacy of it^ found fitting climax in his letter of resignation: 
"Long and attentive observation of this judicious and liberal 
plan. Assures me that the best interests of society are intimate- 
ly connected with its duration and expansion to meet the fu- 
ture wants of the city and county of Philadelphia." The Board 
replied on this wise: "Our system of public instruction, so 
admirably adapted to the wants and circumstances of this por- 
tion of the state promises in its present matured organization 
every advantage which the universal diffusion of free educa- 
tion "can effect;— to its permanence and faithful administra- 
tion our patriotic citizens look forward with confidence and 
hope and vour colleagues feel convinced that your important 
participation in originating and conducting this invaluable 
work will long continue among the most gratifying remem- 
brances of vour life" * (4:14). 

In the last educational paper he ever wrote Dr. Wicker- 
sham nearly sixty years later than this, names seven men who 
were first among the immediate founders of the Pennsylvania 
system of free schools. In the order in which their work was 
done he named, Roberts Vaux, George Wolf, Samuel Breck, 



•NOTE- In reading the Mss. notes by Henry C. Cochran of some lectures 
upo°n fhe ?ubHc',sfhooIs of Philadelphia, delivered by ^^^ H-t n. the Cen 
tral High School in 1848. I met with the statement that the Vaux letter 
had been put upon parchment and deposited in the Academy of Fme Arts 
but Mr Trask, Assistant Managing Director assured me that no such docu 
ment is in the possession of the Academy now. The Cochran notes are 
the property of the Pennsylvania Historical Society. 



72 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

Thaddeus Stevens, George Smith. Joseph Ritner and Thomas 
TI. Burroughs. After placing him in this company he refers to 
Roberts Vaiix as "Philadelphia's great educational reformer, 
her foremost citizen in establishing Lancasterian schools, in- 
fant schools and the institutions for the deaf and dumb and 
blind and President of her Board of Education from 1818 to 
1831" (37:509). 

In 1834 Jovseph Lancaster founder of the system was in 
Philadelphia again, as is shown by a note on the minutes of the 
Board of Controllers under date of November 11, that a com- 
munication was received from him, but he was informed that 
it was not expedient for the Board to comply with his request 
(22). What the request was is not mentioned, but it was prob- 
ably similar to the one he is said later to have made in New 
York. Bourne says (35:174) that Lancaster submitted a propo- 
sition to the Executive Committee of the New York Society 
to make an experiment with forty children and with the aid 
of ten others as monitors to teach them in from four to six 
weeks to read and spell accurately. This was after his being 
in Philadelphia, and not long before his death, which occurred 
in New York City in 1838 just after he had visited one of the 
schools (35:172). Ilis request in New York, says Bourne, also 
failed to meet the approval of the Committee, because he was 
reluctant to communicate the details of his plan or permit the 
committee to be present at any of his exercises. The Board, 
however, on the committee's recommendation granted him the 
use of a room. The Report of the Controllers for 1834 says 
that the Lancasterian s.ystem as practised in Philadelphia 
"works well in practice and continues to afford in its present 
results, as well as in its capacity for unlimited extension, the 
most cheering prospects to the friends of public education." 
(4:16). 

In 1835 there existed a "Pennsylvania Association of 
Monitorial Teachers" but it did not meet with the favor of 
the Board of Controllers for it is recorded on April 14, 1835, 
in view of the reception of a constitution of the said society, 
that while the Board does not wish to interfere with the per- 
sonal improvement of the teachers it "does not desire their aid 
in the general regulation or superintendence of the schools in 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 73 

any way or of the monitorial system of instruction." To this 
thei ssociation replied in a communication received June 9th 
that it disclaimed any disposition to interfere with the busi- 
ness of the Board and expressed regret that its intentions 
should have been misunderstood (22). It will be remembered 
that James Edward had organized a similar association in 
1817. 

The result of the labors of the Society for the Promotion 
of Public Schools has already been hinted. It had started a 
campaign in opposition to the prevalent sentiment of the day. 
It is t^ue the Legislature had failed to establish a system of 
common elementary schools throughout the state in spite of 
memorials from citizens and continued messages of the Gov- 
ernors (32:1:298), but there was not the opposition to the 
thought of state education for the poor, which developed when 
it became a matter of establishing schools for all children by 
legislative enactment. However, the Society's contention that 
after twenty years trial pauper schools had been a failure in 
Pennsylvania, as they had been in Virginia, South Carolina 
and other states (32:1:300), found reward in the strong plea 
of Governor George Wolf in his annual message to the Assem- 
bly in 1833 for Universal Education— " This true system of re- 
publican equality that will level all distinction between rich 
and poor." (25 (b) :]27). The result of this Message in the 
Legislature was the immediate appointment of a Joint Com- 
mittee of both Houses "for the purpose of digesting a system 
of general education for this commonwealth (13:1:29). This 
committee, which originated in the senate, had as its chairman 
Samuel Breck of Philadelphia (30). The committee address- 
ed a letter of inquiries to the Governors of the various states 
and to educators throughout the state and country, receiving 
many interesting and excellent replies (30). Among others 
they wrote to Roberts Vaux, of Philadelphia, who follows his 
first letter with a second under date of December 27, 1833, in 
which he says," Upon reflection I find that in my letter to you 
under date of the 25th inst. I omitted to mention that the 
Lancasterian system of instruction is in the most successful 
operation in the city and county of Philadelphia. No change, 
in my opinion fan be made to advantage here in this respect. 



74 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

I devoted fifteen years attention in the organization and sup- 
ervision of this system, as President of the Board of Controll- 
ers of the pnblic schools and am thus enabled to express a con- 
fident opinion concerning its utility" (30:35). This was not 
the only favorable word received relative to the Philadelphia 
system. The preceeding April the Board of Controllers had 
sent a memorial to the Legislature in view of a proposed repeal 
of the law under which they operated, protesting against its 
repeal because of the success of the Lancasterian system and 
the success of the schools under the law of 1818. (22: April 
1833). This memorial states that from 45,000 to 50,000 child- 
ren have been enrolled in the Philadelphia schools since the 
adoption of the system ; that nine spacious brick school build- 
in.'i-s have been erected and others rented during the same 
P'^riod. while the First School District has raised and appro- 
priated to the public schools, without drawing one dollar 
from the general treasury of the state a sum exceeding $400,- 
UOO.— more than all the commonwealth has appropriated to 
education "during the last half century." "With such suc- 
cess and sucli hopes would it be prudent or wise to annihilate 
this system at a blow for the purpose of substituting another, 
v.liioh if not visionary and conjectural is at least of untried 
nnd doubtful tendency." (22 : April 1833). 

The report of the Joint Committee embodying a proposed 
bill was read in the senate January 22, 1834 (30) and in the 
House February 1, 1834 (13:11:567). It says, "a radical de- 
fect in onr law u[)on the subject of education is that the pub- 
lic aid now given is confined to the poor. Your committee 
has taken care to exclude the word poor from the bill, mean- 
ing to make the system general." The recommended bill which 
passed both Houses almost unanimously and became a law 
April 1, 1834, is entitled "An Act to Establish a General Sys- 
tem of Education by Common Schools." The effect of the 
Philadelphia appeal is shown in section 25 which provides that 
"so much of any act of the General Assembly as is hereby al- 
tered or supplied is hereby repealed except the act and its 
supplements now in operation in the city and county of Phila- 
delphia entitled 'An act to provide for the education of 
children at the public expense within the city and county of 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 75 

Philadelphia,' which is made concurrent with the provisions 
of this act, and is in no wise to be considered as altered, amend- 
ed or repealed" (1). Edmonds quotes Dr. George Smith of 
Media, one of the members of the Legislature that passed the 
act as saying that the members regarded it as correct in prin- 
ciple and therefore voted for it, but that it required too much 
machinery to put it into operation (36:21). 

In addition to this, a flood of protests against the new law 
greeted the next Legislature for its re];eal and a return to the 
pauper system (13:1:593) but failed of success largely through 
the well-known effort of Thaddeus Stevens. A concession to 
the popular clamor was embodied in a modifying supplement 
to the act which did not however destroy its efficacy (13:1: 
897). The legislative session of 1835-36 passed on June 13, 
1836 "An Act to consolidate and amend the Several Acts 
Relative to a General System of Education by Common 
Schools." This law contained two provisions of especial in- 
terest to Philadelphia. They were embodied in an amendment 
to the bill proposed in the Senate on June third by Jesse R. 
Burden of Philadelphia (14:1:872) : "That the Controllers for 
the city and county of Philadelphia be and they hereby are 
authorized, wherever they shall think proper to establish one 
central high school for the full education of such pupils of the 
public schools of the first school district, as may possess the 

requisite qualifications. And provided further 

That so much of the tenth section of the act of March 3, 1818, 
ns renders the exclusive use of the Lancasterian system in the 
first school district obligatory upon the Controllers and direc- 
tors, and all such provisions (if any) in the said act and the 
several supplements thereto, as limits the benefits of the said 
public schools to the children of indigent parents, and so much 
of any act as is hereby altered or supplied, be and the same 
is hereby repealed ; and in said public schools all children over 
four years of age shall be admitted." 

This amendment embodied the essential features of a reso- 
lution offered by Morton McMichael in the Board of Controll- 
ers on the twelfth of April preceding the passage of the Act. 
This resolution was to the efl'ect that "the President of the 
Board in conjunction with a committee of three members be 



76 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

authorized to take immediate measures to obtain the passage 
of an act of Assembly to amend the present School Laws by 
striking from them everything which restricts them to poor 
children, or which renders the exclusive use of the Lancaster- 
ian system obligatory, and also to obtain power to establish 
one Central High School." The Committee appointed were 
George W. Justice, Morton McMichael and Andrew Hooton. 
It is not quite clear from the Minutes just what brought about 
the change of sentiment in the Board from three years before 
when they petitioned against any change in the Lancasterian 
sj'stem. It might be attributed to a visit of the Committee on 
Primary Schools to the schools of New York and Boston "with 
a view to the introduction, if practicable, of any improvements 
which greater experience and larger practice might have 
created in those institutions," especially since two members 
of this legislative committee, Mr. Justice and Mr. McMichael 
were also members of the visiting committee, whose other 
member was T. G. HoUingsworth (4:19); but this committee 
was not appointed until May 10, 1836 (22). It is more likely, 
as suggested by Dr. J. S. Hart, former principal of the Cen- 
tral High School, that there had come into the Board at this 
time some gentlemen who perceived the shortcomings of the 
Lancasterian system and who were endeavoring to quietly 
shelve it (40:28) ,and it was those gentlemen who were active 
in the formulation of the legislative petition and also in the 
effort to profit by the experience of other cities. This conten- 
tion finds support in an address of Mr. Dunlap delivered in 
1851 (10). The gentlemen named by Dr. Hart are Thomas G. 
HoUingsworth, Morton McMichael, Thomas Dunlap, George M. 
Wharton and George M. Justice. Their names he rightly says 
will be found associated in the minutes of the Controllers in 
every important movement from 1832, when Mr. Dunlap was 
advanced to the presidency of the Board, to 1840, when the 
new system had received its complete development. n "During 
this period the schools were changed from pauper schools to 
common schools, intended to be open to all, and adequate to 
the wants of all ; the idea of teaching by unpaid monitors tak- 
en from the scholars themselves was abandoned, and paid as- 
sistant teachers were substituted; the plan of employing very 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 77 

largely female teachers instead of male teachers was intro- 
duced. The schools were classified so as to form a regular 
gradation and subordination of duties and studies ; and lastly 
the Central High School was established, the crowning glory 
of the whole" (40:28). 

We have already noted the closing of the Germantown 
Lancasterian school in 1836, and the failure of the Directors of 
the Sixth section to avail themselves of the permission granted 
to open one in Manayunk in the same year. There are furth- 
er evidences in this year of the waning of Lancasterianism. On 
November eighth a committee of the Controllers was appoint- 
ed to report on the expediency of employing one or more as- 
sistant teachers in each of the male and female departments 
of the public schools. The report of this committee recites 
that the committee believe it impossible for the large number 
of scholars in the Lancasterian Schools of the District to be in- 
structed by a single person with good results. "When the at- 
tention of the teacher is necessarily shared by numerous and 
various classes the amount of time bestowed on each is in- 
adequate to a proper advancement in their studies. Formerly 
it was thought that the monitorial system supplied the absence 
of assistant teachers, but experience has shown that beyond 
those children who are acquiring the merest rudiments of 
knowledge, this system cannot be successfully applied. Per- 
sonal inspection of our schools as contrasted with the schools 
of other cities has satisfied the committee that the advantages 
which the latter possess are to be attributed in a great measure 
to the larger number of teachers employed in them. The utili- 
ty of assistant teachers has, the committee believe, at no period 
been doubted b}^ this Board, and that they have not been intro- 
duced into the schools heretofore has been rather the result 
of a prudent economy, than of any other species of objection. 

Ample means being now at the disposal of the Board, 

the Committee are of an opinion that a just regard for the in- 
terests of the schools will no longer admit of delay on this 
subject" (22). The committee recommended the employ- 
ment in the District of a male assistant at a salary of four 
hundred dollars per year, and in the female department, two 
assistants one to receive two hundred, the other one hundred 



78 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

dollars per year. These recommendations together with oth- 
ers for a general increase in teachers' salaries were adopted by 
the Board. In the next Annual Report it was said "The in- 
troduction of additional teachers, an increase of compensa- 
tion and a different distribution of labor has already been 
carried into effect in this city, tending to approximate our 
schools more to the models examined in those cities [Boston 
and New York] and above all to dispense in part at least with 
the imperfect aid of juvenile monitors taken from the classes." 
(4:19). A year later it was reported that the conduct and 
condition of several of the schools had been essentially changed 
by the employment of additional teachers at suitable rates of 
compensation.' "At the commencement of the monitorial sys- 
tem here, it will be remembered that one teacher, aided by 
monitors from amongst his own pupils, was considered suffi- 
cient for the care and government and instruction of three 
hundred children. The fullest experience has induced the Con- 
trollers to question the efficiency of this argument, which they 
think cannot be defended on any but narrow and parsimonious 
views. Whenever a crowded school existed under that organi- 
zation, it was found that a large portion of the scholars rare- 
ly or never received direct instruction from the master himself, 
but was thrown entirely under the care of juvenile monitors, 
often incompetent, and always indifferent to the improvement 
of their fellows. The effort now made is to furnish, even at 
f considerable increase of pay, an adequate number of well quali- 
fied teachers to a suitable proportion of scholars, so as to se- 
cure to each child a due share of instruction from his teacher. 

As to the result of this experiment and the expediency 

of making it general, the Controllers reserve a positive opinion 
until time and practice warrant its expression" (4:20). Up- 
on this last statement an Englishman who visited the schools 
about this time remarks that they do well to reserve a posi- 
tive opinion since it is clear to him that an increase in the 
number of adult assistants will effect but little unless this be 
accompanied by a sounder method of teaching (43:281). Not 
monitors but poor teaching was the fault he found with the 
schools and he volunteered the advice that the committee of 
inspection should not have stopped at Boston and New York, 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 79 

but have crossed the ocean where some real help might have 
been obtained. Ills reasons for the failure of the monitorial 
system in Philadelphia are at least worthy of notice. He men- 
tions irregular attendance, along with the unreasonable pre- 
judices of the ijarents; besides, "another obstacle exists in the 
intractable spirit generated by republican institutions. From 
what I saw of the children in the United States, I do not be- 
lieve that it would be practicable to get a set of monitors to 
work over hours as I have seen them work in England; they 
vrould not submit to the drudgery, consequently they and 
their country lose the benefit to be derived from it" (43:282). 

The Controllers' Annual Report issued in 1839 refers to 
the success which has met the improvements suggested by the 
Board from time to time. "Thus, the change in the monitorial 
system as originally introduced in the Lancasterian Schools — 
the release from many of the trammels and impediments of 
that early and crude plan— the employment even at greater 
expense, of assistant teachers, — the salutary influence of fe- 
male teachers in aid of the master in the boys' schools, the in- 
fant and primary schools at one end of the scale, and the noble 
completion of the fabric at the other, by the establishment of a 
High School, presenting facilities for full academical educa- 
tion, all now bear the seal of successful and triumphant ex- 
periment" (4:21). The Report claims that the spread of educa- 
tion throughout the state is due to the administrators of the 
system in Philadelphia during the preceding twenty years. The 
Report of 1840 makes clear that the Lancasterian system has 
not wholly vanished since it continues to itemize the school 
expenses under the head of Schools on the Lancasterian Sys- 
tem and schools not on that system (4:22). 

Prom this time on however, the traces of the old system 
fade out, although even in 1841 it was still reported that the 
expense per scholar was but four dollars a year (4:23). The 
only further reference which the Controllers' Reports give to 
the dying system is to note the passing of the Chester Street 
Model School into a Female Normal school which took place 
in 18i8 (4:30). In 1842 it was noted that since the Lancaster 
ian system of teaching had been disused in the schools, the 
Model school had not answered its purpose, and that the Cen- 



80 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

tral High School was supplying its place as far as male teach- 
ers were concerned (4:23), and this conversion of the Model 
School into a Normal school was but the logical sequence. 

The passing of the Lancasterian system was gradual. It 
was not abolished by the law of 1836 as is sometimes stated. 
That law merely made it no longer obligatory, and when it 
failed to meet the need for more advanced and better instruc- 
tion it was "quietly shelved" in a "noiseless revolution," to 
quote from Dr. Hart. He says: "Among the facts A^'hich stand 
out in bold relief in the early history of Philadelphia schools 
is this : that the plan which was originally adopted, and which 
was kept up with untiring zeal and courage on the part of its 
originators for a period of fifteen years, turned out to be at 
length a complete failure ; an absurd mistake from beginning 
to end ; and that the schools made no real progress until a new 
system, involving an entirely different set of ideas was intro- 
duced" (40:28). 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPinA 81 



CHAPTER VL 



Conclusion. 

The effect of the law abolishing the pauper principle was 
immediately shown in the attendance record. The Third An- 
nual Report of the Controllers rendered February 15, 1821 re-. 
ported 5369 children in attendance, and there were never so. 
many reported again until 1834, while at times there were 
scarcely half so many (4). "'From 1834 however the increase, 
continued and in 1840 there were 18,000 children reported as 
under the Controllers' care. The Lancasterian System as such 
however could not be blamed for the poor attendance. Seized 
upon in the beginning by charitable associations seeking an 
economieal plan for educating poor children, it seemed des- 
tined to continue this alliance to the end ; and v/ith the aboli- 
tion of pauper schools came soon the discontinuance of their 
early auxiliary — the Monitorial SA^stem >J 

With respect to the value of Lancaster's system in and of 
itself, the enthusiastic claims of Mr. Vaux may be compared 
with the strongly sarcastic ones of his successor Mr. Dunlap, 
uttered however, some years after he had retired from the 
Board. At the commencement exercises of the Central High 
School in February 1851 Mr. Dunlap speaking of conditions 
as they were when he entered the Board in 1824, says: "I 
found (and for several years saw nothing better) seven school- 
houses containing fourteen schools, in each of which about two. 
hundred children were to be educated; that is, imbued with 
valuable learning, and trained to future usefulness, on a patent 
scheme, the visionary hallucination of a wild, though perhaps 
benevolent, enthusiast. And what were its requirements, its 
promises, its hopeful machinery? It formed schools where the. 
young idea was to be developed in penmanship by scratching 
with sticks in the sand-bath, and showing educational agility 
by quickly erasing the crow-tracks ; developed into arithmetic, 
by the doleful simultaneous chant of the multiplication table 



82 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

in which neither school, monitor, nor master could detect one 
intelligible sound, developed into poetry and morals by howl- 
ing in horrid groans certain doggerel ballads or Lancasterian 
hymns ; schools where the baby of five was the all-sufficient 
teacher of tlie baby of four, save that the latter if stoutest gen- 
erally practised more successfully in flogging his monitor than 
in figuring his sand-box, and where but too often the master 
lounged through two or three hours in the morning, and as 
many of the afternoon in gazing down upon the intellectual 
pandemonium beneath his rostrum, diversifying his education- 
al labors by not infrequently bringing his rattan in as 'thirds- 
man' between the stout baby and the cowardly baby monitor. 

The only true argument ever advanced in its favor was its 
cheapness. It was cheap, very cheap ! Sand and rattan were 
its chief outlay, and on every principle sand and rattan were 
its chief returns" (10). 

He says that "In spite of the earnest and unremitted pray- 
ers and remonstrances of the true friends of education, those 
who held the reins of government kept the fantastic incubus 
in the saddle for eighteen long years" (10:9). 

"But despite timidity, in the face of repelling iuditt'ereuce, 
of covert opposition, of Mammon's wailings and conservative 
forebodings, in the face of absurd theories, monstrous pro- 
jects, and mean and selfish clamors, the good the true, the 
firm perserved. They resolved that the great work should be 
done; they implored their fellow citizens to arouse themselves. 
They besieged the halls of legislation, session after session 
with renewed supplication, at their own expense of time and 
money, until their wishes were accomplished, their object 
gained. The statute of 1836, which was almost extorted from 
the lawmakers, opened a new, a bright, a boundless career of 
usefulness to the whole system of public education. It wiped 
off the stigma of pauperism and strangled the incubus of Lan- 
catterian fooleries" (10:11). 

One has to wonder whether this is the same Thomas Dun- 
lap who in 1833 signed the Memorial of the Board of Controll- 
ers to the Legislature asking whether it would be "wise or 
prudent to annihilate this system at a blow" (22). ;Must we 
conclude that he signed it merely in his official capacity? In 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 83 

the light of what he says we are permitted no other conclu- 
sion, and yet it is to be remembered also that he spoke in the 
light of nearly twenty years of the proved benefits and su- 
perior advantages of the new plan, which in 1833 was, in the 
language of the Memorial, "if not visionary and conjectural, 
at least of untried and doubtful tendency." 

'' It was ever the fortune of the Lancasterian system to 
stimulate either unrestrained and enthusiastic praise or equal- 
ly vehement abuse and condemnation. The defects of the sys- 
tem are easily apparent in the light of present-day methods. 
We are more likely to lose sight of the service these schools 
really rendered to the cause of education in the City and State. 
This service Wickersham probably does not overestimate 
when he says: "Doubtless the Lancasterian Schools served the 
good purpose of hastening the adoption of the free school sys- 
tem by preparing the way for the heavy taxation the support 
of such a system necessarily incurs. They did more, they 
aAvakened thought and provoked discussion on the question of 
education in all its aspects, the result of which was a more 
enlightened public sentiment on the subject. In addition, 
Philadelphia and Pennsylvania are deeply indebted to Lan- 
casterianism for another thing. It brought with it the idea of 
the necessity of trained t<^achers, and this idea outlived the 
system of which it was a part, and became permanently incor- 
porated into the educational policy of the City and State" 
(42:288). 



BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

Sources. 

1. Acts of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania. Harrisburg. 1818-1836. 

(a) The Several Acts of Assembly providing for the edu- 
cation of Children at Public Expense within the City 
and County of Philadelphia. Philadelphia, 1821. 
Printed by William Fry, No. 63 S. Fifth Street. 

(b) Ditto. 1827. Printed by William Stavely, No. 99 S. 
Second St. 

(c) Acts of Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylva- 



81 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

nia reLitiiig to the Public Schools of the City and 
Couuty of Philadelphia, Philadelphia 18^8. Charles 
Alexander, Printer. 

(d) A Digest of of the Acts of Assembly relative to the 
First School District of the State of Pennsylvania. 
Published by authority of the Board of Controllers. 
Philadelphia 184)?. Printed by Fayette Pierson. 

(e) A Digest of the Acts of Assembly relative to the First 
School District of the State of Pennsylvania. Pub- 
lished by order of the Board of Controllers. Phila- 
delphia 1852. Crissy & Barkley Printers. Gold- 
smith's Hall. Liberty Street. 

(f) Ditto 1861. 

2. Adephi School. Subacri])tion Book. Philadelphia, first 
month. 1810. 

3. Annual Reports of the Board of Managers of the Philadel- 
phia Society i'or the Establishment and Support of Charity 
Schools. Phihsdelpliia 182P. 18;U. 1836, 1837, 1888, 1842, 1859. 

4. Annual Reports of the Controllers of the Public Schools of 
the First District of the State of Pennsylvania: 1818-1850. 

5. A Sketch of the Origin and Progress of the Adelphi 
School in the Northern Liberties Established under the Direc- 
tion of the Philadelphia Association of Friends for the Instruc- 
tion of Poor Children. Philadelphia. 1810. 

6. Aurora General Advertiser. Philadelphia. 1816. 1817. 
1818. 

7. Bell, Andrew 

Mutual Tuition and Moral Discipline: or Manual of 
Instructions for Conducting Schools through the 
Agency of the Scholars themselves. Seventh edition. 
For the Use of Schools and Families. With an Intro- 
ductory Essay on the Object and Importance of the 
Madras System of Education; a brief Exposition of 
the Princijile on which it is founded; and a historical 
Sketch of its Rise, Progress and Results. By the Rev. 
AndrcAv Bell, D. D. L.L.D. F. As. S. : F. R. S. Ed. 
Prebendary of Westminister: and Master of Sher- 
burn Hospital, Durham. London. Printed for G. 
Roake 31, Strand. 1823. 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 85 

8. Campbell, William W. 

Life and Writings of De Witt Clinton. New York. 
Baker and Scribner. 1849. 

0. Constitution and Laws of the Philadelphia Society for the 
Establishment and Support of Charity Schools. In- 
corporated September 8, 1801. With a historical 
Sketch of the Institution and the Life of Christopher 
Ludwiek. Philadelphia. 1860. By order of the So- 
ciety. 

10. Dunlap, Thomas 

Introductory Address at the Commencement of the 
Central High School, February 12, 18ryl, by Thomas 
Dimlap, Esquire, Late President of the Board of Con- 
trol, Philadelphia. Printed by order of the Controll- 
ers of the Public Schools. 1851. 

11. Edinburgh Review, Vol. XI. Edinburgh 1808. 

12. First Report on the State of Education in Pennsylvania 

made to the Pennsylvania Society for the Promotion 
of Public Schools, to which is added the Constitution 
of the Society. Philadelphia, u. d. 

13. Journal of the House of Representatives of the Common- 

wealth of Pennsylvania. Ilarrisburg. 1832-36. 

14. Journal of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsyl- 

vania. Ilarrisburg. 1832-36. 

15. Lancaster, Joseph 

Epitome of Some of the Chief Events and Transac- 
tions in the Life of Joseph Lancaster, Containing an 
Account of the Rise and Progress of the Lancaster- 
ian System of Education; and the Author's future 
Prospects of Usefulness to Mankind; Written by Him- 
self, and Published to Promote the Education of hi.s 
Family. New Plaven. Printed for the Author by 
Baldwin and Peck. Sold also in New York by Car- 

vill & Co., Broadway; - - Francis, Broadway; and 

C. J. Gayler, 102 Water Street. 1833. 

16. Lancaster, Joseph 

Improvements in Education as it respects the Indus- 
trious Classes of the Community. Edition 4. Londoji, 
1806. 



86 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

17. Lancaster, Josepli 

The British System of Education, Being a Complete 
Epitome of the Improvements and Inventions prac- 
tised at the Royal Free Schools. Boronpli-road South- 
wark, by «Iosei)h Lancaster, London. Printed and sold 
at the Royal Free School, Borough Road, Southwark, 
by Josepli Lancaster: and by Longman and Co. Pat- 
ernoster Row. 1810. 

18. Lancaster, Joseph 

The Lancasterian System of Education, with Improve- 
ments. By its Founder, Joseph Lancaster, of the Lan- 
casterian Institute, Baltinu)re. Published by the Au- 
thor autl sold only at the Ijanci'sttM-ian Institute. Wil- 
liam Ogden Nilcs. Printer. IS'Jl. 

19. Lancasterian School flournal. The Record of the l^irec- 

tors of the Public Schools for the Sixth Section, First 
School District of Pennsylvania. 1829. (I\Iss.) 

20. Mannal of the System of Teaching Reading, Writing, 

Arithnu^tic and Needle-work in the elementary 
Schools oi" the British and Foreign School Society. 
I-i^irsf American Edition. Philadelphia. Printed for 
the Philadel]ihia Society for the Establishment and 
Support oP Charity Schools, and Published by Ben- 
jamin Warner, No. 147, Market Street. Wm. Fry, 
Printer. 1817. 

21. Minute Book of the First Section of the First School Dis- 

trict of PeiuLsylvania. 1818-1841. (lAIss.) 

22. ^Minutes of the Contntllei-s of the Public Schools for the 

City and Comity of Philadelphia. 1818-1886. (Mas). 
18!).-) (Print). 

23. i\Iinuti>s of the Society for tlie Fvor Instruction of Female 

diildren. 1797-1854. (Mss.) 

24. Origin and Proccnnlings of the Philad(>lphia Association 

of Friends for the Instnu'tion of Poor Cliildren. 
Philad<-lphia. 18;?2. 

25. (a) Pennsylvania Archives. Fourth Series. Edited by 

George Edward Reed LL. D. under the Direction of 
Hon. W. W. Griest, Secretary of the Commonwealth. 
Volume V. Papers of the Governors 1817-1832. liar- 



LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PTTTLADELPIIIA 87 

risburg. Wni. Stanley Ray, State Printer. J 900. 
(b) Ditto. Volume VI. Papers of the Governors ".832- 
1845. 

26. Poulson's American Daily Advertiser. Phihulelphia. 

1817. 1818. 181i). 

27. Regulations adopted by the Society for th(^ Fi-ee Instruc- 

tion of Female Children. 7 of 12 mo. 1811. v>Iss.) 

28. Relf's Philadelphia Gazette and Daily Advertisej- JMiila- 

delphia. 1817. hS18. 

29. Report of the Committee on Pnblic Schools to the l^enn- 

sylvania Society for the Promotion of Public Econo- 
my. Read at its meeting on Nov. 10, 1817. Printed 
for the Society by S. IMerritt. 1817. 

30. Report of the Joint Committee of the two Houses of the 

Pennsylvania Legislature of the subject of a System 
of Geiuu-al Education together with the Bill reported 
by said Committee and an Appendix containing sun- 
dry communications on the subject of Common 
Schools. Samuel Breck, chairman. Read in the Sen- 
ate January 22, 1834 and 1500 copies ordered to be 
printed. Harrisburg. 1884. 

31. Some Account of the Aimwell School, instituted by the 

Society for the Free Instruction of Female Children, 
now incorporated undei* the title of "The Aimwell 
School Association." Philadelphia. The Leeds and 
Bdidle Co., 1019-21 Market St. 1902. 

32. The Register of Peinisylvania. Devoted to the Preserva- 

tion of Facts and Documents, and every other kind 
of useful Information respecting the State of Pennsyl- 
vania. Edited by Samuel Hazard. Vol. T. January 
to July 1828. Philadcli)hia. Printed by W. F, Ged- 
des. No. 59 Locust Street. 

33. United States Gazette. Philadelphia. 1817. 1819. 

References. 

34. Boese, Thomas 

Public Education in the City of New York. Its His- 
tory, Condition and Statictics. An Official Report to 
the Board of p]ducation. By Thomas Boese, Clerk of 
the Board. New York. Harper and Brothers. 1869. 



88 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA 

35. Bourne, Wm. Orland, A. M. 

History of the Public School Society of the City of 
New York, with Portraits of the Presidents of the . 
Society. New York. Wm. Wood & Co. 61 Walker 
St. 1870. 

36. Edmonds, Franklin Spencer, A. M. 

History of the Central High School of Philadelphia. 
Philadelphia. J. B. Lippincott Co. 1902. 

37. Pennsylvania School Journal, Vol. 39,. No. 12. June 1891, 

38. Salmon, David 

Joseph Lancaster. Published for the British and For- 
eign School Society by Longmans^ Green and Co. 39 
Paternoster Row, London. New York and Bombay. 
1904. 

39. Scharf and Westcott. 

History of Philadelphia. 1609-1864. By J. Thomas 
Scharf and Thompson Westcott. In three Volumes. 
Philadelphia. L. H. Everts & Co. 1884. 

40. Shippen, Edward 

Address by Edward Shippen, Esq. President of the 
Board of Controllers of the Public Schools of Phila- 
delphia on the occasion of the dedication of the 
"Hollingsworth School." Delivered 31st October, 
1867. Philadelphia. E. C. Markley and Son, Printers, 
422 Library Street, Opposite Post Office. 1867. 

41. Westcott, Thompson 

A History of Philadelphia from the Time of the first 
settlement on the Delaware to the Consolidation of 
the City and Districts in 1854. Volume 4. Philadel- 
phia. 1867. 

42. Wickersham, James Pyle 

A History of Education in Pennsylvania, Private 
and Public, Elementary and Higher. Lancaster, Pa. 
Inquirer Publishing Company. 1886. 

43. Wood, S. 

An Account of the Common Schools in the States of 
Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. August 
1838. Embodied in the Publications of the Central 
Society of Education. Volume HI. London. 1839. 



jr'JRARY OF CONGRESS 

022 '127 112 •! 



